Contract 2.0: The GOP Pledge

Today, the GOP put out their blueprint for un-transforming America should we be foolish willing to give them power again this November.  As a fan of what came about from the Newt Gingrich-era Contract with America, and with a keen memory about the sickening turn toward the growth of the Imperial Federal Government under Bush, I'm approaching this document with obvious skepticism.

The full text can be found at pledge.gop.gov.  Go ahead and peruse it and we'll continue.

*Pausing to read (and do a whole bunch of other shit too)*

First of all (and I cannot stress this enough without making the blog unreadable), W3 AR3 N0T A D3M0CRACY!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!!1!  Can you tell this might be a point I stress because it's part of the wrongheadedness that led the GOP down the same path as the Dems?  Same for the lame "will of the people" bullshit, which, like democracy, is too often the equivalent of two wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.  But let me continue....


*reading some more, because I got distracted.... (http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/pumpkinpierecord.htm and, more cutely http://twitpic.com/2r9xrf)*


Now, before I get into the substance, the pics are not really a whole lot of help....  It's either standard patriotic shots or snaps that, if I didn't know it was GOP legislators trying to look like they give a shit, could be stock photos for a generic website.  Plus, in reading a PDF file, it means scrolling through them and maybe seeing a face or two I recognize.  Mostly, it adds no value to anyone looking for substance.


Thankfully, with few exceptions, the substance is there.

I won't go through and nitpick every point.  I'll simply say that if the GOP can adhere to EVERYTHING they put in here, then the country will be on the right track.  To clarify:

We pledge to honor the Constitution as constructed by its framers and honor the original intent of those precepts that have been consistently ignored – particularly the Tenth Amendment, which grants that all 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.

We pledge to advance policies that promote greater liberty, wider opportunity, a robust defense, and national economic prosperity.

... 

We pledge to make government more transparent in its actions, careful in its stewardship, and honest in its dealings.

We pledge to uphold the purpose and promise of a better America, knowing that to whom much is given, much is expected and that the blessings of our liberty buoy the hopes of mankind.

If you read the source, you'll notice that the part I've cut is the toss-in paragraph for the social conservatives.  The reason why I do this is because trying to impose laws to enforce the social codes won't lead to a limited government, in the spirit of the aforementioned Tenth Amendment.  I'm not saying that they are not important or that I don't agree with any of it (I don't agree with some).  What I am saying is that limiting the control of Washington over our lives and our dollars will solve many of the social issues we face, and return the remainder to the states (like marriage, a------n (no, I'm not saying it, and summarily deleting any comment using the word), etc).

It's very simple what mandate the GOP could take away from the election this November.  This document is the best blueprint of that mandate they've come up with.  But, if they prevail in November, they they need to live what they preach here.