Remember this? In 1994, Newt and Co. promised to reform the way Congress was run.
As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to change its policies, but even more important, to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.
That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.
This year's election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public's money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.
Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act "with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right." To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.
Well, it led the Repubs to control of the House and Senate in 1994, and in the process elected people like Dubya and Patookey to governorships.
The ten pieces of legislation the Contract involved were:
1. The
Fiscal Responsibility Act, which called for a US Constitutional amendment that would have required a balanced budget.
Reality: Bush&Co. have replaced Clinton’s record surplus with a record deficit. Now our President did say that he wouldn’t raid the Social Security Trust Fund except in war, national security, or deficit, but when that all happened, he said, “Lucky me, I hit the trifecta.” Bush is pretty lucky that amendment didn’t pass, because had it been ratified, he’d be violating the US Constitution. (Not that he isn't already.)
2. The
Taking Back the Streets Act, which called for "stronger truth-in-sentencing, 'good faith' exclusionary rule exemptions, effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social spending from this summer's 'crime' bill to fund prison construction and additional law enforcement to keep people secure in their neighborhoods and kids safe in their schools."
Reality: After eight years of declining crime rates – a decline which began in 1993 – crime is back on the upswing under Bush and his cronies in Congress.
3. The
Personal Responsibility Act, which blocked welfare to young mothers and cut welfare spending.
Reality: It hurts those who can't get ahead because of the CONs' fat-cat cronies.
4.
The Family Reinforcement Act, which called for "Child support enforcement, tax incentives for adoption, strengthening rights of parents in their children's education, stronger child pornography laws, and an elderly dependent care tax credit to reinforce the central role of families in American society."
Result: Failure. Kids can still see porn. Besides, are families really well off with those tax credits?
5.
The American Dream Restoration Act, which called for a child tax credit, repealed the marriage tax, and would have created "American Dream Savings Accounts" so as "to provide middle class tax relief."
Reality: Does the middle class consist of millionaires?
6. The
National Security Restoration Act, which called for “restoration of the essential parts of our national security funding to strengthen our national defense and maintain our credibility around the world.”
Reality: I think they meant to say “restoration of the essential parts of our national security wasting.” And don’t get me started re: credibility.
7.
The Senior Citizens Fairness Act, the main objective of which was to “let Older Americans keep more of what they have earned over the years.”
Reality: “Keeping more of what they eared” typically does not mean starving state and local governments, resulting in higher property taxes.
8.
The Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Act, which was to ban unfunded mandates, create jobs, and raise wages.
Reality: No Child Left Behind was a hell of an unfunded mandate. Plus, when one talks about creating jobs, they usually mean creating jobs
in the USA, not China or India. BTW, about that minimum wage…?
9.
The Common Sense Legal Reform Act, which would put “reasonable limits on punitive damages” and sought to “stem the endless tide of litigation.”
Reality: Should actually have been named the “Get Away With Murder Act.”
10.
The Citizen Legislature Act, which called for “term limits to replace career politicians,” and would have limited people to six House terms and two Senate terms.
Reality: In the Senate, Jon Kyl, Olympia Snowe, Mike DeWine, Rick Santorum, and Craig Thomas are all running for 3rd terms, while only Frist is retiring.
In the Housse, 23 people are running for re-election in 2006, violating their term-limits pledge.
J.D. Hayworth
George Radanovich
Dave Weldon
Charlie Norwood
Jerry Weller
Mark Souder
John Hostettler
Todd Tiahrt
Ed Whitfield
Gil Gutknecht
Roger Wicker
Charles Bass
Rodney Frelinghuysen
Sue Kelly
Walter Jones
Sue Myrick
Steve Chabot
Bob Ney
Steve LaTourette
Phil English
Zach Wamp
Mac Thornberry
Tom Davis
-----------------------------------------------------------
It sounds like the RepubliCONs have flip-flopped – rather, Frist-flopped. Rather than stopping what they called a cycle of scandal and disgrace, they have let it flourish.
Instead of a contract with America, they seem to think they signed a Contract with Corporate America.
Remind everyone you know of Congressional Repubs’ Frist-flopping. Let's bombard the DNC, DSCC, DCCC, and individual Democratic campaigns and ask them to use this for next year’s elections. Hit the blogosphere. Don’t let these GOP Frist-flops go unnoticed.
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