My Pledge to the Government
ByAnd so it is that the leadership of the Republican Party has presented to the people of America a pledge, a binding promise or agreement to do or forbear.
A binding promise couched in rhetoric and pretty pictures was what I read this morning after printing the document in full. It read like a marketing brochure full of fluff and excuses. In it was the foundations for another round of blame come January. Still, buried in the hype and hyperbole there was a pledge.
Reading through the document with my contract evaluator’s hat on I could see the words that formed that pledge;
- To create jobs, end economic uncertainty and make America more competitive
- To stop out-of-control spending and reduce the size of government
- To repeal and replace the government takeover of health care
- To reform Congress and restore trust
- To keep our nation secure
- To serve as a check and balance against any schemes that are inconsistent with the priorities of the American people
This reading brought to mind sense of an alcoholic’s pledge to stop drinking. Wrapped in language that said over and over what the challenges were and alluding to blame which may be cast later, the document lacked the conviction and the honesty I had hoped for. It failed to acknowledge that those making the pledge are the very one’s that contributed to the problems.
I measure dedication and ability by success. It is clear that many of both parties in government have failed to uphold their charter and earn my trust. They must now reverse their course and what makes it difficult to accept is that it is their course.
A few, a precious few will carry the message to Washington and our state and local governments next year. They too will fall under the same scrutiny that we will apply to those who have remained. Our ballots have been forgiving of the past mistakes of many. I suppose hope springs eternal that the leopards will change their spots, and perhaps they will.
But, if they do not they should heed my pledge and one that I hope others will join with me to convey;
- I will watch, listen, and learn not only what you do but why you are doing it.
- I will bear witness to the successes and the failures to uphold your oaths, pledges, and promises.
- I will devote my efforts to holding you accountable and spreading the word when you meet your obligations and when you fall short.
- I will not be swayed by party politics, financial enticements, power or fame.
- I will expend every effort to support you if you succeed or defeat you if you fail to live up to your commitments.
So help me God.
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I watched Greta last night as she interviewed Eric Cantor. In usual Greta fashion she asked him why the GOP pledge did not include (no earmarks). Cantor replied that the GOP had already officially opposed earmarks and that is why it was left out. This is not true and I lost respect for Cantor after he spoke those lying words. The reason it was not in the pledge was because there was disagreement on the issue among the GOP delegates. It was left out because it could not be unanimously approved. The other issue is term limits. Why didn’t these guardians of our freedom at least bring up the issue of term limits? I hate to be a pessimist but I see the Tom Delay method starting to rear its ugly head. These slippery pols have left themselves a lot of wiggle room when the country is shouting for clear well defined leadership. I see Boehner as a Denny Hastert kind of guy, easy to get along with but with no backbone or guts. If this s**t gets worse look for a third party approaching 2012.
My first impression was the lack of term limits.
As I have said before the GOP is nothing but power seekers as well, and they are just grasping the power of the Tea party to get back into power.
Look for them to fail miserably and the tea party to officially break away with the GOP in 2011 and start putting their own candidates up for grabs.
The ideal situation would be for the Democrats to narrowly hold onto both chambers. But just barely and force gridlock for the next two years. Other wise a GOP take over is going to guarantee Obama a second term.
Id rather have gridlock and a take over of all 3 branches in 2012 then a take over this year and end up being the whipping boy for the American people when they will have no chance to do anything significant with a President who will veto anything they try to do.
A presidential veto is an easy thing to say but a much harder thing to do. One veto shows strength, two begins a process that questions the motives, three strikes and you’re out. Don’t assume that Obama will veto whatever comes before him that smacks of conservatism. As much as he want his liberal agenda, he want the power and the office more.