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Newt Gingrich, former U.S. House Speaker, founder of the Center for Health Transformation and founder of the new nonpartisan organization American Solutions, was in town recently to speak at a luncheon honoring the 20th anniversary of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. It was a fitting occasion to think not only about the importance of the Pennington Center, which is a crown jewel of Louisiana’s research infrastructure, but also about the role such a world-class facility can play in building our future—if we give it our consistent support.

Did you know that Pennington ranks in the top 6% of all institutions receiving National Institutes of Health funding? Did you know that scientists at Pennington come from 30 different countries? Did you know that for every $1 million of operating expenditures at the center, the state benefits from $1.9 million in new business sales, $719,000 in new household income and 20.5 new jobs? Pennington is an incredible asset to our state and, as Gingrich pointed out in his speech, an essential place for the state to invest resources.

Here are some other points Gingrich made that were both enlightening and a cause of concern for Louisiana and America:

• Massive change is unavoidable over the next 25 years. There will be four to seven times as much new science as in last 25 years. [Just think about what science and technology didn’t exist 25 years ago—or even 10 years ago. The laptop, Blackberry, iPod, cell phone, current cancer treatments, ATM, GPS and more.] Did you know the new iPhone 3G has more power than a 2003 laptop? Can we even imagine the future?

• Americans don’t seem to be aware of global changes or global competition—and our students are falling behind. In India, by the 10th grade, students have taken four years of physics. This dilemma is portrayed in a film, 2 Million Minutes, by Robert Compton. Bill Gates said, “2 Million Minutes casts a bright spotlight on a crisis in this country.” You should visit the Web site www.2mminutes.com and watch the trailer about six students in high school [two each from America, India and China]. You can also have your child take the 10th grade test that Indians must take to proceed to 11th grade. I also challenge you to go to YouTube.com

and search “Pop Quiz.” The sixth video down says “test your knowledge of India and China”—see how much you know about our changing world. Did you know that 60% of engineering Ph.D.s given by U.S. universities are awarded to foreign nationals?

• Most of the answers to these challenges will come from American ingenuity and entrepreneurs like Fred Smith at FedEx—not from government. To make this point, go to YouTube.com again and search “FedEx vs. government bureaucracy.”

I hope you have paused while reading this column and gone to check out the online references above. The videos are sobering. You begin to understand Gingrich’s conclusion that “Real change requires REAL CHANGE” and Albert Einstein’s point that “Doing more of what you are already doing and expecting a different result is a sign of insanity.”

This global challenge is real for the United States and Louisiana. Gingrich pointed out that for our children and grandchildren to succeed we must transform seven areas: litigation, regulation, taxation, education, health, energy and infrastructure. This will require bringing people together—red, white and blue, not “red vs. blue.” It also means challenging the status quo in our educational system [which exhibits signs of insanity], and challenging our students to view academic performance as we do the Olympics. They need to prepare to compete for the gold.

Making wise decisions

An article in the Times-Picayune last week outlined early discussions by Gov. Bobby Jindal’s commissioner of administration, Angèle Davis, about possible budget cuts for the next fiscal year. The price of oil has dropped and costs continue to rise. I applaud Davis for looking ahead and asking everyone to look at ways to save even in the current fiscal year. Being proactive is wise.

The Times-Picayune pointed to our history and said, “While budget cuts are nothing new for state government, the past three years of surpluses have brought a rare reprieve from the pitched battles that have often pitted health care interests against colleges and universities in a competition for funds.

Now that those battles appear to be resurfacing, albeit before a Legislature largely comprised of new members elected in the wake of term limits, it’s unclear what effects they will have on Jindal’s efforts to reshape state government.”

The article also includes reaction from Jim Brandt, head of PAR, who doesn’t seem to have much confidence in the resolve of the Legislature.

Brandt said, “I think there’s going to be a reluctance to proceed [with reform] more so in times of fiscal stress than there would be otherwise.”

Well, my advice to the Legislature: We better learn from our past or we’re doomed to repeat it. If we want Louisiana to change we must stay the course, operate differently and not use the pinch as an excuse to retreat. Necessity is the mother of invention, so let’s be creative instead of the same ol’ response. With a knowledge-based economy in the future, cutting university funding is insane. What is not insane is getting rid of an archaic charity hospital system. If Mary Landrieu, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama think health care is “a right,” then let them send a bigger and fatter check down to pay for it. Let’s face it, Louisiana won’t compete and survive as a “welfare state.” If more and more of our budget goes to give people fish—and less and less is available to teach people how to fish—we are out of the game.

That’s why the Pennington Center, our universities, our community colleges and workforce development are critical. It’s about creating more fishermen and more wealth.

We must take the advice—and warning—from others [like Newt Gingrich, above] about the competition and challenges in the future. Change will happen. Retreating now may look like a short-term fix, but it puts us further behind in the long run. We must have the courage to make wise decisions with the next 25 years in mind.

Step up and serve

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is actively looking for people who want to volunteer to serve on city-parish boards and commissions. There are spots opening on several boards at the beginning of 2009. If you are interested in serving, call Jermaine at 381-7135.

Live United

After some delays brought on by the hurricanes in September, the 2008 campaign is back in full swing, and despite the storms in south Louisiana and on Wall Street the people of the Capital Area are stepping up to meet the challenge. Most campaigns that have been concluded are topping last year’s figures and we are optimistic others will follow suit. State government and city-parish government, with the leadership of Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mayor Kip Holden, are going strong. In addition, we have more than 50 new companies who are running campaigns this year. There is still time for your company to join in and conduct a campaign or donate—or you can make a contribution as an individual or retiree [if you used to be a donor at your previous company]. Call Robin Keller at 382-3556 or donate online at TheWayToHelp.com. We need you.