Posted on 09/23/2010 7:55:47 AM PDT by jessduntno
House Republicans on Wednesday night released their long-anticipated "Pledge to America" to mixed reviews from conservative commentators. Some pundits reacted favorably, calling the 21-page document an impressive step beyond the 1994 GOP "Contract with America." But others blasted the document as light on substance and short on promises to key conservative voting blocs, such as the Tea Party and social conservatives.
"Is the pledge as bold as the Contract?" write the editors of the National Review. "The answer is: The pledge is bolder. The Contract with America merely promised to hold votes on popular bills that had been bottled up during decades of Democratic control of the House. The pledge commits Republicans to working toward a broad conservative agenda that, if implemented, would make the federal government significantly smaller, Congress more accountable, and America more prosperous."
The conservative magazine goes on to call the Pledge's section on jobs "impressive" and hails the GOP for addressing social issues by promising to enact a law banning federal funding of abortion.
By contrast conservative blogger Erick Erickson of RedState.com says the Pledge pales in comparison to the Contract.
"These 21 pages tell you lots of things, some contradictory things, but mostly this: it is a serious of compromises and milquetoast rhetorical flourishes in search of unanimity among House Republicans because the House GOP does not have the fortitude to lead boldly in opposition to Barack Obama," Erickson writes. "Like a diet full of sugar, it will actually do nothing but keep making Washington fatter before we crash from the sugar high."
He contends that the pledge fixates on goals the GOP should already be working toward while ignoring meaningful, long term goals.
"There is a promise to 'immediately reduce spending' by cutting off stimulus funds. Wow. Exciting," he writes.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
I am with you. Short and Sweet. It’s how Scott Brown got elected. Pick the 5 things that Americans are most upset about that Obama has screwed up and give the solution, in no more than 2 sentences for each.
They could have saved themselves some work by just whipping out the U.S. Constitution and using that as their “pledge.”
Let me know after you have read it. I will remain a skeptic until then.
“Let me know after you have read it. I will remain a skeptic until then.”
There’s a link to it in the post.
Same S, Different Day; or, Third Verse, Same as the First.
This reeks of beltway republicans desperate to keep their slot in the cocktail party backslap circuit.
And they expect We, the Rubes to buy it.
The Pledge will unite the Republican Party so that we all vote straight-party Republican in November. Each and every Democrat must be defeated.
The Pledge shows that the problems which the Republican Party had two years ago have been fixed. We have a real, conservative platform. We have real primaries in which RINOs are defeated. Republican politicians stopped extremist legislation like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and DREAM amnesty by voting unanimously against it.
For the first time in years I feel I am a member of the Republican Party. Reagan conservatism has been reborn.
Well said, MamaT
Remember, most of the people posting here are Democratic trolls paid by Soros. They are trying to turn Republicans against each other.
Sure, anyone who isn’t in favor of this sow’s ear silk purse is a Soros plant.
Welcome to FR, by the way.
Trolls??
This from a person who signed up 5 days ago, to spam the same Republican Rhapsody post on a number of threads??
Pot>kettle
When the GOP starts from such an unsure, tepid negotiating place, is it any surprise we end up with more socialism?
What on earth is Juan “I’m a dolt” Williams going to have to talk about now?
Exactly. I am especially incensed by this cynical window dressing related to citing Constitutional authority for all the new bills they plan to pass.
Ideally, they would have focused on the wide-ranging number of unConstitutional laws they were going to repeal!
But hey, I’m not a purist—how about they at least start by focusing on the core issue of Constitutionality—i.e., “We pledge not to pass any bill that is outside our Constitutionally enumerated powers.”
But no, they’re in no way saying that!
Like the entrenched apparatchiks that they are, they have essentially said that all the new bills THEY pass that increase the size and scope of the federal government will include a throwaway line citing either the Commerce Clause or the Supremacy Clause.
Wow, I feel the GOP hopey change a’comin’ now.
“Remember, most of the people posting here are Democratic trolls paid by Soros. They are trying to turn Republicans against each other.”
That’s a pretty bold statement from someone wh has been here for a week. WTF?
“We pledge not to pass any bill that is outside our Constitutionally enumerated powers.” But no, they’re in no way saying that!”
Not true ... Ryans proposal for HC reform (number one agenda item in my book) is saying exactly that.
this was the RINO plan to fool the voters.
It IS no different than McCain’s faux immigration conversion.
We should see this in the same light as Murkowsky doing a write in campaign.
Give to the candidate NEVER to the GOP parties.
this was the BS plan of the RINOs.
Castle and Murky would jump behind it and pretend to be republicans.
Let them start with these ‘pledges’ as a baseline and see where it goes:
De-fund SS and ObamaCare and Medicare and SSI and SCHIP and every other welfare program under the sun.
Dump every Bureau, Department, Commission, and agency that cannot be traced back to a specifically enumerated power allowed by the Constitution (Environment, education, energy, tobacco, agriculture, Health and Human Services, HUD, etc, etc)
Return every penny of the costs of these worthless organizations to the people.
Repeal every “law” that was created by the courts or by a bureaucracy that did not get passed by the Congress and signed by the President.
Prevent or repeal or withdraw from any international agreement or program or entity that usurps authority from the American people as represented by their duly elected Federal gov’t.
That would be a good starting point.
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