Dick Armey and Tea Party Activists Craft 'Contract from America'

[Emit]

Republicans on Capitol Hill are developing an election-year alternative to the Obama administration's agenda. But a Tea Party activist in Texas says the politicians in Washington - including the out-of-power Republicans - don't have the "credibility" to offer a contract.

The first Tea Party convention kicks off with a tone of anger and confrontation.His solution? Use the Internet, develop a "Contract from America," and make the politicians come to him.

"You are going to be held accountable by us," said conservative activist Ryan Hecker, offering a preview of what Tea Party activists are going to tell congressional candidates later this year. "We have a plan - a proactive reform plan - for you to follow and not the other way around."

~snip~

To get his idea off the ground, he launched a website, "ContractFromAmerica.com," which encourages activists to offer possible planks for the contract.

From the original 1,000 ideas which were submitted, Hecker whittled it down to about 50 based on popularity. He is currently in the process of narrowing it to 20 ideas. He is being aided in this process by former House Republican Leader Dick Armey, whose conservative group, FreedomWorks, has established close ties with many Tea Party activists around the country.

When the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), convenes later this month in Washington, DC, Hecker says he will launch an on-line voting phase which will take his document from 20 ideas to the final 10 to 12 most popular.

The completed "Contract from America" will then be presented to the public on Tax Day, April 15, 2010.

~snip~

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-activists-craft-contract-america/story?id=9740705

Their 20 Highest Rated Ideas as of Feb 8, 2010 include Abolishing the Department of Education, Repealing the 16th Amendment and Repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, among other things:

20 Highest Rated Ideas
Implement the Fair Tax
8787 rating

Legislation shall contain no unrelated ammendments
4479 rating

Congressional Term Limits
3956 rating

Abolish the Department of Education
3516 rating

Pass Nationwide Medical Malpractice Tort Reform
3128 rating

No lifetime salary or benefits for Congress
2971 rating

Congress shall not exempt themselves
2964 rating

An Official Language of the United States
2921 rating

Drill Here, Drill Now
2861 rating

Interstate Health Insurance Competition
2792 rating

cite Constitutional authority for creating laws
2218 rating

Repeal the 16th Amendment
2165 rating

Birth-Right Citizenship
1839 rating

Defund Activist Groups (eg: ACORN)
1779 rating

Nuclear Energy, reduce our dependance on foreign oil
1725 rating

Enforce Existing Immigration Law
1440 rating

Balanced Budget Amendment
1346 rating

Senators Should Vote "No" on "Cap and Trade"
1299 rating

Repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913
1226 rating

Free Market
1171 rating



http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:TUiKFNbZHpEJ:www.contractfromamerica.com/+site:contractfromamerica.com+contractfromamerica.com&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us