Taking the pledge

NY Post ^ | September 24, 2010 | Editorial

[Scanian]

After two years of battling a trillion-dol lar spending spree and a radical over haul of the American health-care system, Republicans yesterday offered an alternative: "A Pledge to America."

It's a simple document, reminiscent of the GOP's 1994 Contract With America -- but it's more than that, too.

While the Pledge discusses many issues, its basic prescription is economic.

To wit:

* To restore certainty to the private sector and generate jobs, the GOP promises to extend all Bush tax cuts, make them permanent and oppose any other tax hikes.

* Republicans pledge to cut government spending to 2008 levels -- pre-bailouts and pre-stimulus. They'd also cap discretionary spending and cut Congress' budget to boot.

* Full implementation of ObamaCare means bigger government and higher taxes. While pledging to repeal the law -- or block funding of its elements -- where possible, Republicans will also pursue alternatives to reduce health-care costs while expanding availability.

That includes medical-malpractice reform, letting Americans buy health insurance across state lines and expanded health savings accounts.

[The Duke]

Not enough. I don’t recall feeling like I needed more government in 1980, so how about cutting back to 1980 levels?

[SF_Redux]

Republicans pledge to cut government spending to 2008 levels ...

why? was 1950 already taken?

[screaminsunshine]

Tiptoeing in the right direction?

[cripplecreek]

Tiptoeing in the right direction?

That's kinda how I look at it. I suspect the pledge was moderated somewhat to avoid frightening the mushy middle but we still need to keep the pressure on and demand more.

Roll spending back to 2008 levels? LOL

[JoanneSD]

I think republicans should expose expenses that could easily be cut, that are not needed for US tax payers, i.e. Hillarys new stove give away.. millions of them.. and the funding for African men to wash their tools off after they have sex.. I mean this can go on and on the money we waste on things that benefit no American tax payers..All this money given to difference agencies, with no accountability on how the money is spent needs to be reviewed ,These republicans have no skin in the game, if they fail on this promise they still have jobs.. I think they should say they will quit being a congressman if their plan don't works

[screaminsunshine]

Yep and then one year at a time. to 07, 06, 05, etc and repeal all the laws and acts in a reverse order. Undoing all this mess will take time. I am not interested in any new laws or programs we already have too many. All this is a result of too much time on their hands for mischief.

[screaminsunshine]

No doubt. Why should every penny I ever paid in taxes for the country go to a program to teach African Males how to wash their package? This one sent me through the roof. I have no words to express my frustration.

[cripplecreek]

Actually going a year at a time is probably a good idea so democrat voters can see that it doesn’t hurt. They could throw in a couple of 5 and 10 year jumps along the way.

Things like elimination of the EPA is desirable but unlikely. Instead we need to start rolling back their power and removing the radical environmentalists at the top. One suggestion I liked was letting the states do their own regulation but let the EPA moderate disputes between the states. Then maybe they could be eliminated.

I like to irritate the left as much as anyone but needlessly prodding them will end up putting them back in power. Its going to take decades to restore America.

[screaminsunshine]

Or ten minutes with a good President. With a few strokes of a Pen a good President could blow away a lot of this mess in the first ten minutes after being inaugurated.

[bytesmith]

It will be some effort to get rid of all the Czars, political appointments and other liberal hires Zero has infested the government.

[bytesmith]

It will be some effort to get rid of all the Czars, political appointments and other liberal hires Zero has infested the government.

[screaminsunshine]

Normally Socialism and Communism do not have a ‘safety net’. They require all the Moochers to work. I would expect sooner or later you will hear Obama and the communists come up with some emergency jobs program. The Moochers are not going to like this.

[RetSignman]

[WOBBLY BOB]

From the "pledge to America":

Ensure Access For Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions:Health care should be accessible for all, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses. We will expand state high-risk pools, reinsurance programs and reduce the cost of coverage. We will make it illegal for an insurance company to deny coverage to someone with prior coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition, eliminate annual and lifetime spending caps, and prevent insurers from dropping your coverage just because you get sick.

This is basically advocating Obamacare. If insurers can't price risk, then it's not insurance, it's welfare. If you're guaranteed insurance AFTER you get sick, it's not insurance. The stuff in italics is more GOP RINO pandering.