pledge, contract, whatever

"House Republicans are poised to unveil their agenda for this year's elections Thursday morning, dubbed the "Pledge To America.""

(16 years ago in Washington, Republicans gathered) on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to sign the GOP's vaunted "Contract With America."... an announcer described the fete as "a Republican campaign rally promising a Republican agenda for the next Congress."

In 1994, the GOP codified core principles of small government and lower taxes into a ten-point, legislative bill of fare. Republican leaders promised to bring that agenda to the House floor and pass it within 100 days if voters rewarded them with control of the House for the first time in 42 years.

The Contract featured "The Fiscal Responsibility Act," which imposed a Constitutional Amendment requiring a balanced budget . It also included the "Personal Responsibility Act," a euphemism for welfare reform...

...in words that eerily mirror the rhetoric heard today about President Obama. "The present administration wants to take away from the family budget to have more in the federal budget," said Gingrich when discussing tax reform. "It tells you about how out-of-touch they are with the public."

If I wanted a rerun from the Republican Party, I'd rather see one Reagan than a thousand RINOs...

update: director blue has a similar reaction:

Washington's so freaking broken that the usual platitudes and rhetoric can't and won't suffice.

How about starting with... THE CONSTITUTION?... You could have come to me for the one-page pledge. It would read as follows:

The GOP Pledge to America: We pledge that every action we take will be gauged by the answer to a single question: Does it show fidelity to the Constitution, our highest law?

It really is just that simple.

We are fighting to prevent the destruction of the American way -- and the remedy is simple. It's been right in front of our faces the whole time.

Somewhere, James Madison and John Adams are looking down on us with expectant gleams in their eyes.