They just don’t get it!!!!!!!!!! Not stripping Murkowski & now this lame excuse for toliet paper. Repeal & replace obamacare? Are you kidding me? Sorry Rush, 2012 will be time for a 3rd Party or a real revolution.

Right now, we’re all too busy with not only our regular lives, but getting out the vote, donating, all that good stuff in preparation for Nov. 2.

BUT

If I’ve said it once here, I’ve said it 100 times; we MUST keep a load of fire under these jerks’ tails. I believe in vote Republican in the general, and all that good stuff, but at the end of the day, I am worried about one thing: will my elected representative work towards the goals of small government and restoring liberties that I am preoccupied with?

The first battle against the Dems has been long, exhausting and with mixed results. The next battle will be just as long and exhausting, but we have more control over the results. We must take the appropriate action. Nov 3 will be a day of relaxation and enjoyment, but Nov 4 with be right back to work. Lame-duck, warnings to our own people about how we expect x, y and z. all that good stuff.

Maybe we should give our own contract to these jerks and demand the fulfillment of the same.

“This document proves the GOP is more focused on the acquisition of power than the advocacy of long term sound public policy.”

If the GOP implements sound public policy then they will be guaranteed power. Do they not see this? Instead they want to acquire power and then fritter it away by failing to implement sound policy.

Seems as simple as 2+2 to me.

this thing sucks. They did not say anything at all really, and that is WORSE than actually saying nothing at all.

I’ve been trying to say for months. As soon as I knew Cantor was a part of this, I knew it would be nothing more than Big Government, and big power for the Republicans, as long as it is done by the Republicans, and not Obama, and the progressives. I live in Cantor’s district, and, again, I promise you, he is not well liked or respected in these parts. Where is this being promoted- in a Virginia hardware store, and, I promise, Cantor will do all he can to get his mug in front of the cameras. Sadly, I feel exonerated.

Erick

I haven’t taken the time to read the document yet, but in your view what is missing in specific terms?

I’m a big fan of a Line Item Veto that will pass Constitutional tests, don’t know how you do that, but really would like to see something about that item.

It is obvious that those who were holding the pen, are not from the country class. They are ruling class wannabees. This is totally disheartening. If they aren’t ruling class wannabees, then they must be beholding to the won, or blackmailed.

This “pledge” is about as inspiring as the stew in our septic holding tank. I’m sure all the undecideds and the people who know there’s little difference between the Rs & Ds will run right out and vote for the Rs because of their inane pledge. Yep, it’s drek (the Yiddish meaning).

I will also vote Republican, because I know our candidate for Rep from Indiana (Mark Leyva) is home grown, grassroots and tea party all the way.

to beat them over the head with for the next 40 days?

Movin’ on.

…sugar-coating things. Say what you think!

Years ago, my wife and I arrived at her first husband’s new digs to pick up her son. The digs weren’t deluxe, but it was an improvement over his van.

When the Democrat sperm-donor brought my step-son to the car, the boy was so excited. “Mommy, I just watched The Disney Channel!”

My wife looked incredulously at her ex, and asked, “You mean you have cable?”

“Can you believe it? I’m movng up!” replied the proud dad.

“So when are you going to get a phone?” asked Mom.

Dad replied stoically “One miracle at a time”.

Let’s keep our eye on the prize Erick. One miracle at a time.

I like this document, they don’t over reach. That was the problem with the 1994 Contract with America, it was over reach and none of it was implemented. Let me quote you for a second…

“Spending Limitation Amendment or a Balanced Budget Amendment”

When was the last time an amendment was ratified by the states? I’m pretty sure it hasn’t been in your lifetime.

They make some low level, smart pledges that are in the realm of the possible, rather than shooting for the moon and disappointing everyone once again. This lets them bank some capital and the voters let them take the training wheels off and make a dent on real reform.

Or we could try the Obama method of promising unicorns that poop Skittles, but that hasn’t worked out too well for the left.

All in all, I think they hit the perfect pitch with this one. It gives just the ammunition to get those candidates your worked so hard for against the establishment, what they need to make it to 50+1.

Oh well, I can see I am in the minority here, since I’d rather focus on actually reaching a conservative majority in the future, rather than complaining that a party platform doesn’t have enough red meat for the base.

How much of that 800+ words in the CWA became law? I seem to recall a lot of disappointment watching bill after bill come to a vote in that first 100 days, only to see them voted down.

Again, prove you can govern like adults first, then go for the agenda.

Erick, I have to also register some polite dissent.

I admit that I haven’t had the opportunity to read the document yet, so my inclination is to defer to your judgement. But…..we need to stay focused, grasshopper!

The Democrats have been pummelling our side as the Party of NO, and this was an attempt to defuse that bomb.

It may not all that it can be, but why so hot? We have worked for 18 months to get the attention of the Republican Caucus, and this at least proves they’re listening, unlike the other side, which is still out there trying to sell health care (at least the President is….).

We have 6 hard weeks left before the real work begins. Now is not the time to take our football and go home.

Let’s get the folks seeking our votes to explain how they will take this short description and give it life in the next two years, mindful that the actual plan will depend on ‘conditions on the ground’ at the time — how many seats do we actually take? What does the opposition do in response?

other clueless Repubs did in Jan 2009, what was it the “listening tour” (?)that disappeared in a cloud of fecklessness, I suppose this is, ahem*cough* shuffle in my seat* a few steps in the right direction from there. I guess they could have done a lot worse. I think Repubs still have the economy, corruption and competency to run on strongly.

All they needed to do was run on opposing Obama.

Talking about anything else was stupid, as this whole thing shows.

More empty promises and meaningless rhetoric from the so called leaders of the GOP.

It makes me feel despondent that after so many years of being a Republican and supporting the party that I still have to put up with this B.S. of being used by them.

Is it so much to ask that the Party would stand for something other than getting themselves elected? Is it crazy that I should want the party to actually push a Conservative agenda of smaller government and fiscal responsibility instead of just lip service from them when it’s election time?

After so many years of this it’s hard not to become a bit jaded and wonder why I even bother going to the polls.

And then ask – Do you have any questions?

THE CENTRAL ISSUE OF OUR TIME: FEDERAL SPENDING

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/09/027281.php

In fairness, what little meat there is in the “pledge” is laudable: certainly, I want Republicans to repeal ObamaCare, as the bill suggests, and going “back” even to 2008 isn’t objectionable by itself. However, I can’t help but feel that praising this manuscript is somewhat akin to applauding a hobo for saying that his life goals are to stop masturbating in public and to stare at people a little less. While a positive step forward, in both cases it is too low a standard to take either one’s claims to dramatic change at face value.

Another problem with the proposal, however, has to do with the fact that leadership is not addressing their own hand in the disasterous policies leading up to this unparalleled growth of government. While I don’t want Republicans to self-flagellate from now to the hereafter, is it too much to ask for some sort of repudiation of 2006 from the first major fiscal policy pronouncement to come from Republican leadership? Given that the pronouncement was largely made up of rhetoric, it might have been nice to see Republicans acknowledge their mistakes, instead of pretending that it didn’t happen.

because quite frankly, when the new class of conservatives move in come November, these folks might not be running the show. This is nothing more than ill conceived grandstanding and I doubt many of the new class will fall in line with it/

I think it has a little to do with grandstanding and just as much with desperate men trying to show they want to be a part of the new movement only to keep their jobs or get elevated.

Now if in November the new class comes up with crap like this, we may need to be worried.

It’s an announcement that there are a number of openings in the leadership of the House and Senate GOP. Start date, Jan 3, 2011…we are accepting applications now; interviews will be conducted on Nov 3, 2010.

Because the document shows that the current “leadership” can’t find their own rear end with a map and a flashlight.

Once we get our outrage out of our systems and disown it, shunning may well be our best tactic to get it to sink faster.

empty promises is this new ad that just came out, you can’t watch it without getting a lump in the throat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0ICjI0iHI

Should we cut benefits for veterans, or make cuts in Social Security and Medicare and then there was compromise. Many of us, in the Tea Party and Constitutional Conservatives shook our head in disgust, they simply do not get it. You can read our signs, Restore our Constitution, Down size Government not our Jobs, must we explain such a simple message? For starters, we are a nation of individual states, free, sovereign, and independent states to provide benefits for our veterans, our health and our personal security. The federal government was there only to provide the common defense and general welfare to the states within the enumerated powers therein. We had separation of power but more importantly separation of funding. Should we cut benefits for veterans, or make cuts in Social Security and Medicare, the federal government should not have that power in the first place and this is a decision for the independent states, We the People to decide. The separation of power and separation of funding was wisely chosen in our Constitution to prevent this situation, do you want your health to compete with the defense of our nation? The general opinion I see is not to cut benefits for veterans, or make cuts in Social Security and Medicare but allow individuals to make that choice, within the Constitution, within the states. There should be no compromise in what is unconstitutional, abide by the Constitution, the originalist Constitution not the bastardized and perverted version. The government has stolen our charity and savings in the form of taxes and turned it in to a socialist allotment. No, Obama does not take full blame as history teaches us this failed policy has been with us for over a hundred years. When government strays outside the enumerated powers granted to it in our Constitution government is doomed to fail at the cost of our liberty and prosperity. The Republican party in general has not chosen to boldly stand on the moral high ground of our Constitution, maybe they think this is too radical to have morality, it seems from what I have seen they want to childishly play in the leftist sandbox, lowering their selves and our nation.

Here’s the 1994 Contract With America:

1. require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply to 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. limit the terms of all committee chairs;
5. ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
6. require committee meetings to be open to the public;
7. require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase;
8. guarantee an honest accounting of the Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.

I remember seeing Newt on the capital steps with a big, white poster board with all these points on it. This was right out of the Reagan playbook – easy to understand promises built into a CONCISE message.

Erick, you’re wrong in that one respect, it doesn’t NEED to spell out exactly HOW each item will be done. It does need to be specific, simple, and promote an adherence to the Constitution.

The “pledge” isn’t all dreck, but it does still show a Republican party that is out of touch. This is the Contract with America written by the Obamacare bill rules – pages and pages of details and graphs and charts….who will really read it? Most on the right will get the details from Rush and Hannity.

The one part that IS dreck is the health care part. “repeal and REPLACE” and preventing refusal of pre-existing conditions are right from someone’s poll and spin doctor’s behind the scenes thinking they are wizard’s of smart (as Rush says).

Nobody cares about “replace” right now. At least no voters who cast their ballot for GOP members. Everyone has “pre-existing” conditions…EVERYONE…ask any physician. So instead of giving into the liberal message (ilike agreeing global warming is real but we just have to fix it different), the GOP should be WINNING the argument with their own message about how screwed up the whole idea is.

So, it’s not dreck, but it’s certainly not brilliant.

Oh, one other note, and Erick, I wish you would help promote this: the proposed Balanced Budget Amendment would do nothing to prevent massive tax hikes. When the Dems got control again someday it would be a perfect excuse for them to go the other way….”balance” the budget by introducing VAT, Cap n’ Tax, and everything else to meet the amendment’s rules.

I cannot write what vile villainy I would peacefully accept befalling them.

Guarantee an honest accounting of the Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.

Here I am willing to vote for Charles Manson if it means another Republican in Congress to stop the Obama regime. Here I am putting my money where my mouth is, voting against a college classmate in Massachusetts to elect Scott Brown.

And ya’ll die hard Republicans are upset because a campaign pitch doesn’t pass the conservative purity test? I dunno. Isn’t that a lot like what the KOS crowd does to the Democrat Party?

I’m sympathetic to the frustration with more-of-the-same Congress-critters, but come on. It’s a campaign pitch, it proposes some stuff that most Republican and Independent voters would approve of, even though they might wish for more. And, it can be touted as a response to the party of No charges. What’s not to like?

But, what do I know? I’m just an independent voter (you know, the kind Repubicans need to win elections) committed to voting a straight Republican ticket in November, primarily to restore gridlock to Washington for the duration of the Obama regime.

1) Obamacare MUST be repealed. If it stands, we become a socialist country, permanently left/center. If its not repealed, nothing else will matter in the long run.

2) Banning Public Sector Unions. These are the root cause of all evil. If this happens, everything else becomes much more possible/likely. These are the main financiers of the Democratic party and are also one of the main causes of financial problems for every state and municipality that allows them, including of course the federal government.

I was pleasantly surprised to actually see #2 here on the pledge. This is a huge deal, and I didn’t imagine the R establishment even had it on their radar.

Would have preferred to see pledges to eliminate entire departments (energy/education for starters) rather than promises to reduce their size, but having the above 2 items on the pledge could make all else possible if they actually accomplish them.

…to help us deal with Rinos and Rino pledges:

Republican in 2010, Conservative in 2012.

rather than a picture of a draft.

It sounds great, but I have two problems. Cantor and Boehnor have been part of the Republican problem. They should go the way of the other establishment incumbents come reelection time.

Also, sanctions on Iran? Are they seriously pushing this act of war on their people who are mostly innocent? One thing about sanctions is that is hurts the poor people, not the elites. The elites will thrive, but the poor and middle classes will suffer.

Thank god they aren’t pushing social issues.

and before that he was a state legislator:

http://johnboehner.house.gov/Biography/

Eric Cantor has been in the House for almost ten years:

http://cantor.house.gov/about.htm

Ever notice how most of the real “bomb throwers” among the Republican congressional delegation are those who have been there fewer than ten years?

It’s almost like the longer they are there, the “weaker” they become.

Hmmmm.

For Liberty,
ColdWarrior, PC (that’s “precinct committeeman,” not “political child!”)
Conservatives, UNITE! CHANGE the Republican Party and save the world by UNITING INSIDE the Party as precinct committeemen. NOW! (40 days until Nov. 2 — what are YOU DOING to help get out the vote in your precinct?)

We had our practice primary season in 2010. Now lets get them elected! Then we can SLAP around the GOP Leadership who continue to ignore our LIBERTY platform in the next Congress.

We SLAPPED the GOP Leadership good in 2010 because they weren’t listening. SLAP Marco Rubio, SLAP SLAP Pat Toomey, SLAP SLAP SLAP Rand Paul, SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP Ken Buck, SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP Susan Angle, SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP Joe Miller, SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP Christine O’Donnell.

Ok, now we’ve had some practice. Who will we SLAP, and with who, in the next election cycle? We need to get our ELECTED GOP Precinct Committeemen in place. We need to take control of the GOP County Executive Committees, the District, State and National GOP Committees. We need to run LIBERTY Candidates in all GOP races in what will be an even bigger election year than 2010.

I CAN SEE NOVEMBER FROM MY HOUSE!!!!!

The real work begins after the takeover. We have to insist that if they want to keep their jobs they have to find legislative solutions that give them less power and citizens more freedom. One example: The single best thing they could have done with financial reform is to take the FDIC out of the business of insuring banks’ trading desks.

I agree with your assessment, Erick. I was horrified when I saw the length of this document. These fools are going to force a third party. At one time, I was worried a third party would only split conservative votes and give the Democrats the edge, but I think Jim DeMint is right. The Grand Old Party will be dead, and we will be a two party system again after the funeral.

We may be looking at the document that began the movement toward a third party that holds the founding documents as the guiding principles for governance.
It is really quite astounding that these people do not understand the limitations of the Federal Government as created by the Creator.

You have to start somewhere. It is a statement like a wish list, but you know you won’t get everything on that list. Outright dissing plays into the hands of Democrats and the White House which has already attacked it. This talk of a third party will do absolutely what to weaken Democrats? Go ahead and do it and i guarantee you that when 2012 rolls around, you will undo any gains made in 2010. Do you want two years of Republican control of the House in exchange for 4 more years of Obama? Keep and eye on the bigger picture, folks. You cannot daily rail about Obama on this or any other website only to lay the seeds for his re-election. Face it- Sarah Palin or anyone else running as a third-party candidate WILL HURT REPUBLICAN chances, not those of Obama. Wake up and take the baby steps necessary towards the overall, longer term goal.

and this is what comity gets you; Castle is now considering a write-in campaign.

I had to search the document yesterday for any mention of Illegal immigration. My feeling is and has been that ignoring that situation will be the death knell of the country. Secure the borders drivel without specifics is just more crap from these people who just don’t get it! I don’t trust these weasels and would like to see people like Steve King take control of a true conservative party.
I don’t like Boehner-,Cantor seems to be slippery as well and Pence is another chameleon. Looks like we are heading for same old ,same old and can look forward to millions of more Auntie Zetunis in our future!

… I’m sure they didn’t read it before they signed it.

Once again, I can’t figure out the schizophrenia of Erick Erickson. This GOP pledge reads like something that could easily have come from some of the more prominent Erickson approved candidates, like Marco Rubio and Marlin Stutzman.

“Republicans” presenting the pledge our Founders gave to us at great expense to themselves, 16+ pages and a literal interpretation of the commerce clause, and for a little dramatic effect, governing by the “Pledge of Allegiance”.

When the GOP wins in November. This is all about the gop leadership slapping together what they want to do as they see the GOP wave coming courtesy of the tea party / conservatives. They are going to pretend the wave was a mandate for what they want to do. Then watch the remainder of themselves (establishment ‘leader’ types) go down in future primaries. They want to pretend the outrage is supportive of THEIR agenda, instead of implementing ours.

Well, it may take several election cycles, but they are going down if they actually try to legislate that way. In primaries.

Another round of statism, left or right, is not what Americans need.
Americans need to understand we are not obligated to each other than to not be a burden on one another.
By respecting each others rights and responsibilities as individuals can we all act together effectively in those cases of emergency rather than being forced to support each other daily.
By understanding our own rights and responsibilities as individuals we effectively eliminate the need for an omnipresent state in our lives.

I realize that I’m in the minority here — first I’m a woman – which is a minority on here. Second I’m a converted Republican. I note that many on here are more conservative. So I shall tell it like I see it from a woman’s point of view.

I don’t give a Beaver’s Butt who the Republicans run in 2012. I will vote for whomever they put out there. I am sick and tired to this yammering about everything the Republicans do – and those comments are from Republicans. Just vote to get Obama and Michelle out of my house!!! I don’t care how we do it. Just get them out of there!

I was a Democrat yo those years ago — went Independent – and now have embraced the Republican Banner. Which I carry and fight for each day. Am I a conservative? Not sure. I don’t care. Most women I know don’t. We just want Obama gone. We are working our butts off working for candidates across this country. The phone banks, the rallies, the individual talks we give. And, at the present time, we are glad to see the Republicans doing something – it takes small baby steps to get something rolling. Most of us are employed full time and do this on our own time. Everytime I go to do my volunteering I notice a lack of males. If you’re going to complain then do somehting about it!

Let’s take the baby steps and walk in lock step together. All of you whiners sound like a bunch of old ladies bitching. Get over it.

Here is a weird thought for a “Pledge.” What would happen if the Congress and the POTUS adhered to the Constitution; specifically the Tenth Amendment? It is not a complicated sentence nor difficult to comprehend. Apparently, it is remarkably restrictive to an out of control Federal Government.

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Imagine if all the unconstitutional laws and programs were instantly repealed! The budget deficit would vanish…

And I highly commend them both for it.

I was disappointed in Rush to hear him support it with no criticism. As for Hannity, I knew he’d be waving the palm palm’s.

On his radio show, Beck agreed with a caller that it’s ridiculous only to take spending back to 2008 levels. Like Beck said, maybe take spending back to 1808 levels!!

Overall I agree with Erick, most of this stuff is things that the GOP should already be doing. It is pretty glaring that there is no pledge to ban earmarks, nothing about term limits, balanced budget amendment, etc.