Newt's New Contract

The Contract with America worked for Newt Gingrich in 1994 when he led the House Republicans to their first House majority in 40 years.  So why shouldn't it work again?

Presidential candidate Newt has published a 21st Century Contract with America on his newt.org website, and it's a work in progress.  But his legislative agenda is ready, and here it is.

1. Repeal ObamaCare.
2. Return to robust job creation. with 12.5 percent corporate income tax, zero capital gains tax and death tax, and optional flat tax.  Reform the Fed.
3. Unleash America's full energy production potential. with "all of the above" energy exploration and production.
4. Save Medicare and Social Security with proper savings and insurance programs.
5. Balance the federal budget "by freeing job-creators to grow the economy, reforming entitlements, and implementing waste cutting and productivity improvement systems".
   
6. Control the border and make English the official language.
7. Revitalize our national security system.
8. Maximize the speed and impact of medical breakthroughs "by removing unnecessary obstacles".
9. Restore the proper role of the judicial branch. Includes replacement of judges.
10. Enforce the 10th Amendment by transferring power back the states.

You can see what it is all about.  It is an "all of the above" recitation of the conservative agenda.  Except that it has nothing about the social issues.  And no wonder.  First we have to get the economy moving and heal the damage that Obamanomics has done to the economy before we try to mend the broken society.

Two points:  First, this program represents a kind of consensus in conservative and Republican circles.  And really, apart from the ever touchy subject of the entitlements, Newt's contract shouldn't have much trouble with the American people.  

Second, every bullet point in the contract is poison to liberals.  Everything in it dismantles decades of liberal dreams and liberal legislation.  It reminds us that the upcoming election is going to be a real choice, reprising the old Goldwater chestnut about "a choice, not an echo."

As the 2012 election unfolds, I can't help thinking that the Democrats are in a miserable position.  You can tell from the actions of their leaders.  Here we have President Obama going for a class warfare campaign against millionaires and billionaires, in a country that defines itself as middle class, and we have Majority Lead Reid pushing a vote on a punish China bill.  These efforts by Democratic leaders are worse than criminal.  They are just stupid.