Contract with America - original text

US House of Representatives ^ | 1992 | Republican US Reps

[BW2221]

During six years of control (Presidency and Congress), the GOP pretty much turned its back on the Contract.

[familyop]

Many who complain about spending want very much to hold on to every spending program for divorce and single "parents."

And 1992 was long before the War. Spending on the War will be lower until Iran builds up and expands. After that, spending will be interesting. So will the draft.

[JTN]

During six years of control (Presidency and Congress), the GOP pretty much turned its back on the Contract.

And paid the price on Tuesday. There is some hope though. John Shadegg and Mike Pence are running for party leadership positions and saying that the Republican party should return to the small government principles the Contract with America contained.

[quidnunc]

The Republicans in the House won't do what is necessary to regain control because the Democrats will offer them a choice: Either cause no trouble and get their share of the goodies from the boodle bag or cause trouble and be cut off.

During the last few years the Republicans have been wedded to the politics of pelf.

We will know more after the leadership election.

[JTN]

Ping

[appleharvey]

During six years of control (Presidency and Congress), the GOP pretty much turned its back on the Contract.

And ran away at the speed of light.

[Neidermeyer]

I'm all for blending the original contract with Newts "American 11" point plan .. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1696544/posts , in addition I think we should consider reducing the broadness of the commerce clause as much as possible , eliminate/repeal the 17th ammendment (popular election of senators) in order to give the states back the representation they deserve at the federal level.. as to the anti-crime provisions of the contract I am all for reducing penalties on a federal level for drug offenses to open up beds for dangerous criminals. I REALLY like Newt , next to Reagan and JP2 he was (and can continue to be) a source of guidance and power..

[BW2221]

I think the revised contract contained:
- The Fiscal Irresponsibility Act
- The National Border Insecurity Act
- The Illegal Alien Friendship Act
- The Let's Dump on our Base Act
- Let's Support our Rich Supporters over All Act
- The Ask Not What I Can Do for My Country, but What My Country Can Do for Me Act

... to name but a few

[Popocatapetl]

That was the old Contract With America. Now it is time for the rank and file to come up with a New Contract With America.

We cannot expect the republican leadership to take the initiative with this NCWA, unless they get long-term, grassroots pressure to adopt it. But the time the republican national convention comes around, each and every delegate should have a copy on hand, and be enthusiatic about sharing it with the leadership.

Both elected officials and candidates for the 2008 campaign should have every opportunity to proudly sign on to that NCWA, and if not, then to have a very good excuse as to why not.

It will not be the old Contract With America, it will have to be brand new. It will truly have to reflect what America's republicans want their elected officials to do. No equivocation. No hedging. No back room deals. And no compromise on principals. You can wheel and deal on anything else, but to these things be true.

The NCWA has yet to be written. Some republican James Madison is needed to create a draft, and republicans across the nation will need to have their say.

It must be done soon, and it must be done right. And any republican who doesn't sign on had better be prepared to pay the price.

[familyop]

The following filed briefs in favor of "affirmative action" in the Michigan "Grutter v. Bollinger" (Michigan University) case. No one is pushing the corporations to do it. They started it, and they pay their own revenues to continue it.

3M
Abbott Laboratories
American Airlines
Ashland
Bank One
Boeing
Coca-Cola
Dow Chemical
E.I. Du Pont De Nemours
Eastman Kodak
Eli Lilly
Ernst & Young
Exelon
Fannie Mae
General Dynamics
General Mills
Intel
Johnson & Johnson
Kellogg
KPMG
Lucent Technologies
Microsoft
Mitsubishi
Nationwide Mutual Insurance
Nationwide Financial
Pfizer
PPG
Proctor & Gamble
Sara Lee
Steelcase
Texaco
TRW
United Airlines
General Motors Corporation (PDF)

[ansel12]

I still have the tear out version they placed in all the TV guides.

They really advertised the Contract.

[JimRed]

The Republicans in the House won't do what is necessary to regain control because the Democrats will offer them a choice: Either cause no trouble and get their share of the goodies from the boodle bag or cause trouble and be cut off.

One more reason to demand TERM LIMITS, NOW!

[Thickman]

10. THE CITIZEN LEGISLATURE ACT: A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators.

The fact that nothing ever happened with term limits is another indication that the pubbies morphed into power-loving, entrenched politicos that, in the end, were not much different than the dumbocrat majority that they succeeded.

The result was runaway spending and corruption that resulted in their demise.

[Thickman]

Term Limits ping!

[Dems_R_Losers]

To tell the truth, term limits is the only thing in that Contract that the Republicans failed to do. Welfare reform, tort reform, repeal of the Social Security tax and the marriage penalty, capital gains tax cuts -- all were accomplished. Even a balanced budget, which was not in the Contract, was accomplished.

All of the internal reforms of the House that were promised were accomplished. Notice that ethics and lobbying reform were not part of the Contract. The Democrats really had not been all that bad on that stuff. What the Republicans sought was an end to the un-democratic ways the House had been run. They did institute term limits for Committee chairs, ended proxy voting, ended closed Committee meetings, closed the House Bank, sold the Ford building, and reduced the size of House staff.

It is really quite a record of accomplishment. Too bad Tom DeLay pissed it all away with his machine politics and Republicans failed to hold the Administration accountable on Iraq or Katrina.

[JTN]

The fact that nothing ever happened with term limits is another indication that the pubbies morphed into power-loving, entrenched politicos that, in the end, were not much different than the dumbocrat majority that they succeeded.

After gaining a majority, there were Republicans who pretty much came right out and said, "With Republicans in charge, people probably won't want term limits."

[Michael.SF.]

The fact that nothing ever happened with term limits is another indication that the pubbies morphed into power-loving, entrenched politicos that, in the end

You are wrong.

It was brought to the House floor an received a majority vote. But, since it would require a Constitutional amendment a 2/3 vote was required.

[plain talk]

They are all great except 10. Never had any use for Term Limits legislation which is a crock. There are term limits already in the form of an election.

[Nateman]

You know how the "Party Platform" at the presidential nominating convention is worthless, along with most of the convention? Why not put that convention to some real use, fill it with congressmen who are still in office and those who are running for office, then work out a new contract, not just promises of new laws to be written, but write those laws during the convention and vote them up or down. Vote for republicans and this is EXACTLY what you will get, signed by all those running, or at least enough of those that if elected these laws would pass. Have the Presidential candidate sign on of course and run on that contract.

You could even include an extra benefit: if you vote in 2/3's of these signers in both houses then you'll get a balanced budget admendment and/or term limits that will then be sent to the 50 states for a vote.