21st Century Contract with America

NEWT.ORG ^ | November 27, 2006 | Speaker Newt Gingrich

[2ndDivisionVet]

We are committed to a safe, healthy, prosperous, and free America. We believe our children and grandchildren deserve the opportunities our parents and grandparents gave us.

In a rapidly changing world with new threats and new competitors, we must implement policies that will ensure America’s leadership, safety, and prosperity. And we must reinvigorate the core values that have made an exceptional civilization.

We do not believe the traditional instruments of government will reform themselves fast enough and thoroughly enough for the twenty-first century.

The entrenched lobbyists and entrenched bureaucracies will do all they can to minimize the changes no matter how vital those changes are to America’s future. Self interest will dominate national interest if the normal political system operates with business as usual. The pressure of daily events will keep both the news media and most politicians focused on the immediate and the trivial rather than the long-term and the profoundly important.

Only a grassroots citizens’ movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future.

Such a citizens’ movement would have to be focused on goals rather than on interest groups. The goals define the America we want our children and grandchildren to have.

To achieve this future we will:

I.

Defend America and our allies from those who would destroy us. To achieve security, we will develop the intelligence, diplomatic, information, defense, and homeland security systems and resources for success.

[Ohioan]

While I do not agree with Newt on all matters--being more Conservative than he--he would be an enormous improvement over what we have had the past 5 5/6 years. For one thing, he has an understanding of the need for a coherent policy, one that can be rationally defended.

The sad thing about Newt, is that he blinked the last time, and let the media drive him into a symbolic fox hole, causing his to go off of the attack that had been so successful in 1994. I know that he had some personal issues, but he should have persevered with his program.

Anyway you slice it, Newt is a major beneficiary of the Karl Rove directed disaster on November 7th. His understanding of American politics is far, far superior to that of the inept Mr. Rove, who only responds to the past initiatives of Liberal Democrats. Newt, like Reagan, took the initiative away from the Democratic Left, and just might be able to do it again.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[Independentamerican]

"It is starting to appear that we are only going to address the entitlement problems when they reach the crisis stage, and at that point it will be intergenerational war through the ballot box"

Excellent points. No one wants to deal with the looming SS crisis. That is just one of the reasons why I cannot identify with either party. I really was hoping something would have become of the privatization of SS but nope that is apparently on the back burner. I know the democrats will no touch that issue for the next 6 years and neither will the republicans. So what will happen by the time I am 32 my taxes may go up by another 20% to support those who did not realize they needed to save for retirement. At that point with the cost of healthcare continuing its rise as well as trying to raise a family while only seeing maybe 50% of my gross income I will vote for the candidate who has the best idea on how to resolve the crisis. But maybe the reason why neither party has seriously brought this issue to the forefront is that none of this will happen..Right ? Right ?

[hosepipe]

Too late.. American voters are getting older and much more socialist..
SSA-Social Security is exactly socialism, not like socilaism, but pure socialism.. And will become even more socialist than it is now.. 30+ million VOTING legal and illegal aliens are not helping either..

Newt had his last chance in 1992/4.. to effect the slide down the socialist slide.. and almost did.. George Bush has proved his time is over.. A "White RINO House" is about the best the Republican Party will or can produce, Now..

2008 awaits and so-called conservatives are in gross denial.. especially on FR.. Gross denial.. The most adamant socialists in the U.S. are the older generation.. even and especially older republicans.. The Contract with America was trumped by Clintons sex exploits.. They even trumped Chinagate.. the most treasonous event of all the treasonous events in the nintys.. THEN the conversation can start again.. else the U.S. will become a Europe.. Too late for a revolution(2nd amendment) it would only become a RIOT..

[hosepipe]

Too late.. American voters are getting older and much more socialist..
SSA-Social Security is exactly socialism, not like socilaism, but pure socialism.. And will become even more socialist than it is now.. 30+ million VOTING legal and illegal aliens are not helping either..

Newt had his last chance in 1992/4.. to effect the slide down the socialist slide.. and almost did.. George Bush has proved his time is over.. A "White RINO House" is about the best the Republican Party will or can produce, Now..

2008 awaits and so-called conservatives are in gross denial.. especially on FR.. Gross denial.. The most adamant socialists in the U.S. are the older generation.. even and especially older republicans.. The Contract with America was trumped by Clintons sex exploits.. They even trumped Chinagate.. the most treasonous event of all the treasonous events in the nintys..

What to do?... The only way "certain" republicans can do anything beneficially for the old U.S.A. is go the other way.. And help or encourage or force the democrats to BANKRUPT the U.S. on a federal level...

THEN the conversation can start again.. else the U.S. will become a Europe.. Too late for a revolution(2nd amendment) it would only become a RIOT..

[Unmarked Package]

"I didn't see any mention of stopping illegal immigrants."

Yes, it needs some work in the area of immigration reform. A separate Article is needed to address increased border security, a means to properly identify and process guest workers, and an initiative through federal law or Constitutional Amendment making English the official language for all 50 states.

There are many fine ideas in the 21st Century Contract with America. When Newt Gingrich speaks, I always listen. I especially appreciate Newt's extensive knowledge of history which is a rare commodity in politics. He is a brilliant man and a wonderful resource for strategic planning among conservatives.

[Reaganesque]

If we could get the Republicans to commit to this for the next election and then have them renew their commitment every election cycle, then we might have something. But that will take strong, principled leadership; something the Republicans just don't have right now. He or she can be found and I can think of a couple of people who could fit the bill but, no one who currently holds office.

[Prokopton]

"At that point with the cost of healthcare continuing its rise as well as trying to raise a family while only seeing maybe 50% of my gross income I will vote for the candidate who has the best idea on how to resolve the crisis."

You won't have to wait long. The total tax burden for middle class families is approaching 50% right now.

[taxed2death]

"STFU Newt. You had your chance and you blew it. You don't walk your talk. We found that out."

Funny, his "Contract with America(1)" was the best thing to happen to the Republican party in the last 20 years.

[WatchingInAmazement]

Funny, his "Contract with America(1)" was the best thing to happen to the Republican party in the last 20 years.

Funny, immigration was no concern for Newt then either.

He's really wound up with the open border people, Norquist, for example.

http://www.atr.org/home/about/ggnbio.html

In the words of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist is “the person who I regard as the most innovative, creative, courageous and entrepreneurial leader of the anti-tax efforts and of conservative grassroots activism in America . . . He has truly made a difference and truly changed American history.”

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010514/dreyfuss

Grover Norquist: 'Field Marshal' of the Bush Plan

Norquist gained notoriety as former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's right hand in the mid-1990s--helping to design the 1994 Contract With America and rallying the right's grassroots to go to the polls that year, a drive he chronicled in his book Rock the House. When Newt crashed and burned, Norquist survived to become an ally of Gingrich successors, including Tom DeLay, the House majority whip, and Dick Armey, the majority leader. And since late 1998 Norquist has been George W. Bush's unofficial liaison to so-called movement conservatives.

[taxed2death]

So I suppose we need to get a boot in his ass regarding the problem we have with illegals. No problemo.

I'm up for it.

[Mariner]

The inclusion of a Judiciary that "respects the Creator" AND the ommission of "Sealed Border" and "Fair Trade" will ensure this trite proclaimation goes nowhere.

Newt's brilliant and I admire the man greatly...but I fear he's out of touch.

[hubbubhubbub]

That due to him being the leader of the "Imperial Congress"

[hubbubhubbub]

Yea, I thought it was going to be implemented. Fooled me once. LOL

[Balding_Eagle]

Thanks, I'm not as big a Newt fan as you are, but we better not forget who/how we got to the dance, or we'll not dance again..

[RKBA Democrat]

All in all, not too bad of a political manifesto. A bit timid, but not too bad.

I think the most interesting quote was the following: "Only a grassroots citizens’ movement can insist on the level of change that is needed for our children and grandchildren to have a successful future."

So is Mr. Gingrich finally acknowledging that the GOP is both unwilling and unable to implement a conservative agenda?

[streetpreacher]

He betrayed us on WTO. He allowed Clinton and a lame duck Democrat Congress to pass it with his and Dole's support even though he admitted in hearings that we were surrendering our national sovereignty to a global body.

He caved in to Clinton on shutting down the government. He virtually signed off on every one of Clinton's budget busters after that.

Besides that, he's a three-time husband with an intern problem.

Worse still, he has a weird name. People with weird names don't become President.

[streetpreacher]

Yeah but from reading your profile page, you actually believe the Democrat Party is in a position to do so, a party that Mr. Reagan realized even back in 1964 has sold it's soul to cultural Marxism. That is so outrageous to strain credulity. You'd be better off to begin a third party than to think the Democrats will ever make any meaningful overtures to the right.

Did you vote for Ronald Reagan? Clinton? Kerry?

[jwparkerjr]

I wouldn't be as big a fan as I am either if there were someone else on the horizon for us. I don't want to be a push over but I certainly don't want to let his personal baggage keep me from benefiting from his expertise.

[ggekko60506]

Bravo.

Newt was the single most effective and visionary Conservative leader since Ronald Reagan. All the factors that led to the GOP getting national power were due to Newt: GOPAC built up local parties state by state, the Contract with American successfully and brilliantly nationalized the 1994 elections, and Newt's budget reforms lead to the only period of fiscal sanity we have had with the Federal Government in the last 40 years.

The Democrats understood this better than the people in Newt's own camp. They trumped up psuedo-scandal after psuedo-scandal to trip Newt up and eventually some of the bogus mudslinging lowered Newt's approval rating with the public.

What very Conservative should realize is that both Newt and Reagan did something that was extremely rare in Conservative Politics: they articulated a positive vision toward which the movement could strive.

Conservatives have developed a strong reputation for good fiscal management and ability to manage National Security prudently. Both of those perceived competencies have been hurt during the last several years but but not to the point unrecoverability.

In talking with my non-Conservative acquaintances I have been struck by the degree to which these folks have s strong desire for solutions. Any positive program, that puts forward a coherent program will be well received by a solution hungry body politic. What has been missing the last several years has been any sense of of an agenda and a program.

During the post World War II period Conservatives served as liquidators of Democratic messes until Newt came on the scene (Most of Ronald Reagan's domestic program was blocked by the Democrats). The GOP is heading back toward a regionally strong Minority Party (the Sunbelt) unless the movement can once again pick of the type of broad-based agenda as Newt showed us in the 1990s.

I encourage everyone in this thread to read Newt's "Winning the Future" book with a particular attention to Newt's Health Care Proposals. Newt's proposals are bold and visionary and could be passed under the right circumstances. This proposal renders the "reform-light" proposals put forward by other politicians pale by comparison.

The good news is that the Democrats are completely devoid of any new ideas; the cupboard is bare. Once the solution hungry Public becomes aware of this they will turn off from the Democrats but the GOP will need to be ready with new good, ideas at that time. Newt has these ideas and I hope the Party becomes smart enough to take some of them up.

Newt has a lot of baggage in his past so he is not an ideal Presidential candidate nor was his performance as Majority Leader perfect. Newt is a better idea man than he is as a politician but the Party needs to realize that the idea factory needs dramatic retooling. I hope that Newt will be allowed to aid in this process.

[jwparkerjr]

I don't want to count him out before he's even gotten through the weigh-in, much less before he's gone a round or two. I want the best we can offer and if he's it then he's my man! I am not supporting him no questions asked. I simply want to see him in the race and have a chance to outline his plan and compare it with the others. If he's got what it takes then we're foolish not take what he' got. I like your approach, get a message and then a messenger!

This is going to be one interesting presidential campaign!