The Non-Contract With America. What Democrats aren't saying about their agenda, so we will.

WSJ ^ | Oct. 28, 2006 | WSJ

[FairOpinion]

What Democrats are campaigning on this year is a Non-Contract with America--mostly generalities about "helping the middle class" and "ending the corruption in Washington."

We've taken some time to inspect these policy priorities and thought we'd share a few of the highlights, if that's the right word.

Tax increases. The Bush tax cuts expire in 2010, and any chance that they'll be made permanent will vanish with a Democratic Congress. The question is whether Democrats will try to raise taxes even sooner.

Health-care regulation....Democrats who run health-care panels want to direct all seniors into a single government-run Medicare drug plan. Another proposal from top Democrats, the Medicare for All Act, would make all Americans, of any age, eligible for Medicare and pay for it with a new 1.7% payroll tax on workers and 7% on employers.

[FairOpinion]

And this is just the domestic economic front.

Add to this the Dems being weak on terror and then run, not walk, to the polls to vote Republican to keep the Dems from implementing their destructive plans.

[goldstategop]

Its socialism and surrender first.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[sageb1]

Dems are the party for the common good. Republicans say that what is for the common good is common sense. Big difference.

[Brimack34]

People should only be able to vote if they watched the debates. And only if the democrats showed up (the scared little pukes) If they di they would see what idiots the Rats are.

[kingu]

The Wish Platform.. (Or things I'd wish Republicans would talk about once again..)

Tort reform: 25 years of labor compensation as 'direct damages' in a recent sexual harassment suit, plus punitive damages that would pay for another 220 years of employment. These jury awards are just absolutely insane. We have to end this cashing through the legal system and actually provide reasonable compensation based upon the injury.

School vouchers: DC proved that these work, but the one ingredient missing is the right of a school to discharge a student.

Ending of Unions for Public Employees: This ain't private industry, this is public service - don't like it, get a REAL job. The collective bargaining is bankrupting cities and counties across the nation.

Size of government: The largest employer in the United States is the United States government. The largest industry is government service. It has finally topped retail sales as being the largest 'industry' sector in the economy. That has to end.

But no; the party that would support such things is lost in cruise control, just absolutely sure that they'll always win victory without moving forward. It'd be nice if they'd take these positions before they lose congress and actually show Americans that Republicans do have a domestic agenda, one that reduces government burdens. We can't cut taxes until real issues are addressed, and no one seems to be willing to talk about them anymore.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats are not running on the issues because they dare not tell the American people their true beliefs. They have to lie to get elected.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[nopardons]

bttt

[bill1952]

pay for it with a new 1.7% payroll tax on workers and 7% on employers

That almost 9% of payroll amounts that would vanish into the miasma of government.

No effect on the economy there, huh? - And how will they pay for all of the illegals?

I'd like to see a projected cost analysis on how much such a disaster would cost. - Hillarycare by another name is still hillarycare.

[Smokin' Joe]

Another proposal from top Democrats, the Medicare for All Act, would make all Americans, of any age, eligible for Medicare and pay for it with a new 1.7% payroll tax on workers and 7% on employers.

For the self-employed, that would be one fourth off the top, before you even start on income taxes. Lovely.

Nothing like dumping on small business.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Stalinism and Surrender Dhimmism.

[KarinG1]

I'm as conservative as anybody and I have, in fact, already voted (In the straight Republican box at that. I am, after all a straight Republican.) but , win or lose, I'll sure be glad when this dratted election is over and we can return to arguing about fun stuff.

[Mr_Moonlight]

Dems are such curious creatures. Here in New York State ya got a Comptroller, Alan Hevesi, who got caught with his hands in the cookie jar to the tune of some $80,000. An otherwise honorable public official with a long record of exemplary public service, Hevesi completely refuses to own up to this digression of the public trust. Even as every NYS official, including his own Dem standard bearers have pretty much 'disowned' him in his upcoming re-election campaign, Hevesi refuses to resign or even acknowledge that he did anything wrong. Even as he might be indicted and possibly sent to jail, Hevesi refuses to budge.

If Hevesi is counting on the NYS Dem party to bail him out of this he is tragically mistaken ... although with Sheldon Silver covering his back, maybe he isn't ? /sarcasm

[Frwy]

Me too. I'll just be so relieved to watch a TV program without the interruption of lying Dems every eight minutes bashing the President for everything including the moldy bread in the bread box.

[tkathy]

Why aren't the reps getting a better message out? It drives me nuts.

[G-Man 1]

The Pres. should have a press conference almost every day to explain his policies. That is the only way to get around the RAT press. Advertise and explain whats going on in relation to what the RATs have to offer. The RATs own the press.

[mikeybaby]

IIRC, the first thing Reagan did (from his car, right after being sworn in) was institute a freeze on Government hiring.
Those were the days.
Sigh.

[Starboard]

mostly generalities

Dems pursue an open-ended socialist agenda that is always long on emotion but short on specifics. None of their programs ever have any well defined objectives, costs or timetables.

[Starboard]

Dems are the party for the common good.

Notice that they haven't defined exactly what the "Common Good" is or what the end state will be with regard to reaching that condition of societal nirvana.

[Malsua]

My portfolio will be shifting more conservative if Dims gain control. I'll still be mostly equities, but there will be a huge downward spike in the market and I need to hedge my bets.
I don't imagine I'm alone in this thinking.