Gotcha!
The Contract With America contained specific issues. Newt wrote up the CWA from Reagan's policy speeches. Conservatives didn't run away from their pro-life, anti-gun control, anti-gay positions. The old Reagan coalition was made up of social and fiscal conservatives. That coalition worked great and gave the GOP some huge historic election victories. That coalition was a winner and can be a winner again.
Welfare reform is about how we redistribute wealth, and efficent systems. A political issue. Being against welfare *entirely* would be a 'social' issue. Something that wasn't ever proposed, and would not win.
Crime is not a 'social' issue, either.
Tell me this -- do you believe that the 'Contract with America' is what swept Rs into power?