The Washington Post provides more evidence of Gingrich’s progressive statism in a lengthy survey of his early political career in an article printed yesterday. Some highlights:

“He didn’t think government mattered. . . . The Reagan failure was to grossly undervalue the centrality of government as the organizing mechanism for reinforcing societal behavior.” [Gingrich in 1992]

“It is not my job to win reelection. It is not my job to take care of passport problems. It is not my job to get a bill through Congress. My job description as I have defined it is to save Western civilization.” [Gingrich in 1979]

“Gingrich had described himself as a “progressive” in his 1970 application to teach at what was then West Georgia College. That self-description changed to a “common-sense conservative” by his 1974 race, when Gingrich skewered his opponent, incumbent Rep. John J. Flynt Jr. (D-Ga.), for voting against numerous government programs.”

“He insisted on pursuing $60 million a year in federal funding aimed at building 12 space stations and a mine on the moon [in 1983]. According to a transcript, he said he wanted to “mandate” that NASA take the money. He proposed unionizing workers in space. And Republican leaders who were resisting additional funds for science, he said, were “idiots” and “so incredibly stupid.”