This morning the Republican Party has formally unveiled, at a Virginia Hardware store, their Pledge to America.

Of course, this 21 page document is in homage to The Contract With America, drawn up by Republicans for the 1994  Midterm Elections that swept their party into power.  It’s introduction was very impressive:

As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to change its policies, but even more important, to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.

That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.

This year’s election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.

Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act “with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.” To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.

The Pledge’s introduction is pretty impressive, also. 

The need for urgent action to repair our economy and reclaim our government for the people cannot be overstated…

…With this document, we pledge to dedicate ourselves to the task of reconnecting our highest aspirations to the permanent truths of our founding by keeping faith with the values our nation was founded on, the principles we stand for, and the priorities of our people. This is our Pledge to America.

Here are some quick bullet points from the document:

Jobs:

– Stop job-killing tax hikes

– Allow small businesses to take a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income

– Require congressional approval for any new federal regulation that would add to the deficit

– Repeal small business mandates in the new health care law.

Cutting Spending:

– Repeal and Replace health care

– Roll back non-discretionary spending to 2008 levels before TARP and stimulus (will save $100 billion in first year alone)

– Establish strict budget caps to limit federal spending going forward

– Cancel all future TARP payments and reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Reforming Congress:

– Will require that every bill have a citation of constitutional authority

– Give members at least 3 days to read bills before a vote

Defense:

– Provide resources to troops

– Fund missile defense

– Enforce sanctions in Iran

There is only a slight whiff of deja vu’ in the air.  There are marked differences between The Contract and The Pledge.

The Contract included “The Fiscal Responsibility Act”.  This imposed a Constitutional Amendment requiring a balanced budget . It also included the “Personal Responsibility Act,” otherwise known as welfare reform. Perhaps the most-contentious part of The Contract, this proviso slashed welfare spending and prohibited assistance payments to teen mothers. Opponents railed against this plan, calling it “Draconian.”

Republicans showcased their legislative compact not on the Capitol steps, but 45-minutes away at a lumber warehouse in northern Virginia. No GOP House contenders were wandering about seeking photo ops among the two-by-fours and six-by-eights.  Instead, a group of 12 Incumbent House Republicans laid out a broad policy agenda culled from their “America Speaking Out” program. America Speaking Out was a dialogue House Republicans engineered to solicit ideas from the public about policy solutions.

There was no pomp and circumstance as with the signing of The Contract. Only a press conference and a conversation with small business owners. The “Pledge” is comprised of specifics on health care, the economy, taxes, Congressional operations and national security. But the agenda is not distilled into a Constitution-inspired document like the one 16 years ago.

It seems that the Republican Party establishment wants to embrace the elements of a Contract With America-esque roll-out. But not go too far. They want to draw comparisons between the electoral anxiety of 1994 with the discord of today. But the similarities stop there.

Today’s Republican Establishment seems to be having a problem remembering what made the Reagan Revolution the nation-changing force that it was.  Reagan Conservatism not only embraced fiscal responsibility but also carried an emphasis on personal rights and responsibility based on the Judeo-Christian system that American was founded on.  The emergence of the Tea Party Movement is a reminder of the success of Reagan Conservatism.  If today’s Republican Party remembers that, they will be successful.  If all this is just a stage show to mask an elitist ideology, the American public will reject them, in the same manner that they are rejecting the Progressives that they are campaigning against.  The Republican Party needs to remember Proverbs 29:23, scripture which the President and his Progressive minions forgot a long time ago:

Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.