Reply #67: "Contract with America' wasn't a "bold" agenda

[moggie12]

I disagree with your argument that the "CWA' was somehow a bold, non-centrist document. In fact, during the construction of the Contract, Gingrich insisted on "60% issues", meaning that the Contract avoided making promises on more controversial and divisive issues. They completely stayed away from foreign affairs, for instance, instead mostly focusing on "cleaning up" the entrenched, allegedly "corrupt" Democratic political establishment. Items were (see link below for more detailed description):

1) all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress;
2) 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 our Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.


It was an extremely partisan, political document that stayed away from controversial, substantive issues (and it did the trick). Wikipedia has a good summary.


Text of "Contract with America"
issues.http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html