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The Spectacle Blog
The Republicans’ pledge is a conservative document in two senses: Its policies and rhetoric are mostly conservative and worthwhile. It is also conservative in the sense of being averse to political risk. Whether it struck the right balance between the two remains to be seen based on voter reaction (let’s not forget that even the Contract with America’s electoral impact remains open to be debate). It strikes me as a sign that the Republicans are prudent about doing what it takes to gain the majority, but the jury is still very much out on how well that majority would govern.
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More Blog Posts by W. James Antle, III
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/09/23/the-pledge-also-comes-in-lemon
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Siegfried X| 9.23.10 @ 3:44PM
"the jury is still very much out on how well that majority would govern"
That's the main purpose of the Pledge, to tell us that Republicans want to move the ball to the right. That direction is what matters, since we can't predict the future in detail. What I look for in the Pledge is that, in general, the Republican Party promises to move to the right in areas which I care about.
This Pledge shows a very different Congress from when House Republicans said 5 years ago that it was impossible to cut any more money from the federal budget because there was no fat in it.
Oldefarte| 9.23.10 @ 3:55PM
As W.James rightfully implies, ACTIONS will speak louder than WORDS regarding this contract. As with the previous [and later ignored after it's intiial statement], if the Republicans do not fully implement and become constantly/permanently guided by same, this contract will be as worthless as the paper upon which it is written. If the Republicans use same as a political ploy towards becoming elected, the American taxpayer-voters will turn upon them just as they have against Democrats currently. Hopefully this will not be another example of DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Siegfried X| 9.23.10 @ 4:03PM
Republicans will get very little of it done. After all, the Democrats didn't get much done even though they control the presidency and a large majority of Congress.
So if Republicans get the House and even a small majority in the Senate, everything will be negotiated with Obama. Given how many things that the Republican filibustered, Obama would be glad to veto hundreds of Republican bills.
If Republicans don't get the Senate, then Obama won't even have to veto anything. The Democratic Senate would just ignore whatever the House passes.
Both parties will negotiate a budget, with Obama and the Democrats having an equal say. The government will keep growing.
That's our system.
Siegfried X| 9.23.10 @ 4:08PM
The latest prediction is that Republicans might end up with a 10 seat majority in a 435 member House of Representatives. That means Speaker Boehner will often struggle to get a majority, as Obama tempts RINOs to vote his way.
Warrior | 9.23.10 @ 5:20PM
Democrats didn't do much???? Obamacare in and of itself was more than enough. Takeover of automobile companies, banks and Wall Street and student loans, trillion dollar stimulus pork barrel giveaway, unemployment benefits for 99 weeks, close to getting amnesty, cap and tax...
Since all spending comes from Congress, they can at least start to defund these monsters. If they go in with your mindset, they will just give up because it is too hard. Newt was able to get Slick Willy to move kicking and screaming the whole way. Stop making excuses and force accountability.
Siegfried X| 9.23.10 @ 7:18PM
The Democrats passed two big bills, but almost everything else was rejected. There were dozens of left-wing bills that passed the House but died in the Senate.
Gingrich had a Republican Senate, and he still got his clock cleaned by Clinton. Obama is also much further left than Clinton and his "triangulation".
Presidents know they'll win budget arguments because they always win government shutdowns. Gingrich's 1995 shutdown led to the collapse of conservatism within a few years. Bush destroyed Pelosi's Democrats when they tried to defund the Iraq War.
The Democrats already have it worked out. After the election they'll use budget reconciliation to force the mother-of-all-budgets through on a majority vote. That way the budget will be so huge and so left-wing that the Democrats won't mind running with a continuing resolution for a couple of years. So Obama can be tough as nails on his negotiations, knowing that the CR has plenty of cash in it. In fact I wouldn't even be surprised if Obama runs on the CR deliberately, as payback for the filibusters and to show his base that he isn't caving in.
Roy| 9.23.10 @ 8:25PM
I don't *think* that would work since I think "reconciliation" only works if something has already passed both houses and you can say you are "reconciling" it.
Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if they passed a bill declaring it National Lost Puppies Awareness Month, and then in the process of "reconciling" the House and Senate versions, slipped in a 5,000 page government takeover of the entire economy forever.
Warrior | 9.23.10 @ 8:44PM
Again, liberal arguments. You attempt to triangulate the discussion. First you say the democrats didn't get much done. When given a laundry list of misdeeds, you change tact and want to speak about bills. Clinton was forced to sign legislation he did not agree with. Bush destroyed Pelosi all the way to her installation as Speaker. And seriously, you can't be stupid enough to believe that Pelosi ever really attempted to defund the Iraq war. Your last paragraph is so delusional it doesn't even warrant a response.
You can fool others here with your moderate bullshit. You are nothing but a liberal attempting to dissemble at every turn.
aware| 9.23.10 @ 5:04PM
"Republicans are prudent about doing what it takes to gain the majority, but the jury is still very much out on how well that majority would govern."
Now that's what I'm sayin'! This is just edge nibbling, and fairly "safe" nibbling at that. This isn't a clue, it isn't even a look in the direction of a clue. We need bomb throwers not pom-pom girls.
Tim*| 9.24.10 @ 10:37AM
Where's The Democrats' Pledge ?
Put Up or Shut Up Democrats .
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates .
Rise Up !