[Tennessean4Bush]

It worked beautifully, IMHO. And, the House lawmakers did precisely what they said they would in the contract, which was to bring them to a vote. They did that in every single item and they passed 7 of the 8. The only one they did not pass was the term limits, which was a long shot for passage. However, in that vein they did term limit committee chairmanships, which was a major victory. 3 of 8 items were actually passed into law, and one other sub-item under the legal reform (having to do with stockholder rights) was passed over a presidential veto. Three major items were vetoed by President Clinton, meaning the Republicans did all they could do since they did not have veto proof majorities and the Senate pubs never signed on to the contract.

The fact that they have not taken up the ball and run with it again on some of these issues speaks more for another contract rather than against another. I mean, they were focused because of it, whereas now they behave too splintered and incohesively as a majority.

Look, if you are looking for 100% passage on something like this then you are bound to be disappointed. As Churchill noted, this deliberative republic is the worst form of government, except for all the others.

Don't be so cynical. Remember, an optimist believes we live in the best of all possible worlds, while a pessimist fears this is true.

[thtr]

It worked beautifully, IMHO. And, the House lawmakers did precisely what they said they would in the contract, which was to bring them to a vote. They did that in every single item and they passed 7 of the 8..

You must be thinking of some “different” Contract with America. None of the following was passed:

1. require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress

2. select a major, independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud or abuse;

3. cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third

4. require committee meetings to be open to the public;

5. require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase;

6. guarantee an honest accounting of our Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting

7. A balanced budget/tax limitation amendment and a legislative line-item veto to restore fiscal responsibility to an out- of-control Congress, requiring them to live under the same budget constraints as families and businesses.

8. An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in- sentencing, "good faith" exclusionary rule exemptions, effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social spending

9 Discourage illegitimacy and teen pregnancy by prohibiting welfare to minor mothers and denying increased AFDC for additional children while on welfare

10 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.

11 repeal of the marriage tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts to provide middle class tax relief

12 No U.S. troops under U.N. command

13 repeal the 1993 tax hikes on Social Security benefits and provide tax incentives for private long-term care insurance to let Older Americans keep more of what they have earned over the years.

14 "Loser pays" laws, reasonable limits on punitive damages and reform of product liability laws to stem the endless tide of litigation.

15 A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators