The New Testament

In 1994, the Republicans submitted their “Contract with America” to the nation. It was a ten-point pledge of the things they would do if they gained control of the legislature. It was a clever gimmick that played on the perceived anger of the public against an apparently arrogant and corrupt federal government. Now, when the federal government actually is arrogant and corrupt, Americans are faced with a new choice. Next year they will have a chance to renew all of the members of the House of Representatives.

In the meantime, Republican toadies are taunting us, daring us to “tell us what you stand for”. As Limbaugh goads us to “tell us that you stand for higher taxes”, most Democrats are still on the defensive. There is plenty to defend, after all—Social Security, Senate rules and House ethics. But the greatest thing the Republicans should fear is for us to take their advice. Should the public know and fully understand what we stand for, the Republicans would be turned out en masse.

It’s time for Democrats to create their own contract. Here is how it should read:

TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,

We, the members and candidates of the Democratic Party, swear to fight for working Americans. We will defend individual rights against intrusive government, and we will hold the powerful accountable for their actions. To achieve our goals, we propose ten specific policies. If granted a majority in Congress, we promise to the American people that we will use all of our energy to ensure the passage of these policies.

1. A New Call to Service
Our nation is at war. Our economy continues to struggle under the weight of oppressive Republican fiscal mistakes. The youth of America is ready to take up their responsibility to deliver the country out of the hard times and into a better future. They wait to be called to service, but they have waited in vain. We will call them to service—public service, military service, service to church, service to family, service to schools, and service to their fellow Americans. Only by working together in a spirit of service can we hope to regain what has been lost since the turn of the new millennium.

2. Tax relief for the middle class
After bearing the brunt of the economic morass of the Bush era, the middle class have already paid their share of the nation’s debt. They have often sacrificed their homes, their careers, their families, and their health to the reckless Republican agenda. We will propose an immediate tax relief for the middle class, including tax credits for parents and students what will greatly reduce the financial burden of caring for children and going to college.

3. Tax fairness for the richest Americans
We will call to service the wealthiest Americans, and ask that they contribute a fair portion for America to live up to her duties. We will propose a fair tax structure that will enable and encourage affluent Americans to invest in their country, so the wealth of all Americans can grow.

4. Investment in Americans
We have a duty to invest in the wellbeing and growth of the American people. In today’s world, our children don’t compete only with each other, they compete with the world. We cannot afford to lag behind in education, infrastructure, and public investment. We will propose a renewed revitalization of our primary and secondary schools, a repair of our vital paths of communication and transportation, and research in tomorrow’s industries. The generation that took American to the moon will be followed by a generation that will take American to great places here on Earth.

5. Investigation of fraud
In this time of war, there are a few powerful corporations that are taking advantage of our support for our soldiers. As the sons and daughters of American are wounded and killed in the sands of a foreign country, schemers grow fat off of bloated budgets. Willful neglect of the Congress’s oversight duty has allowed the worst offenders to escape justice. Every penny that finds its way into the pocket of profiteers is a penny that is not spent on body armor, food, ammunitions, and vital supplies for our troops. We will immediately initiate an investigation, in the spirit of Harry Truman, to find and prosecute the unpatriotic con artists who are today defrauding the people of the United States, and robbing clothes off the backs of our soldiers.

6. Victory in Iraq, victory over terror
We believe victory is possible in Iraq. Furthermore, victory must be achieved if we are to renew our fight against terrorists. We will propose an exit strategy for our troops in Iraq, which will include: accelerated training of Iraqi police, which involves expanding the training of Iraqi recruits in other countries; accelerated rebuilding of Iraqi infrastructure, so the Iraqis can take over their own country; a pledge that the United States will not seek nor accept any profit from Iraqi oil; and realistic timetable for the turnover of security duties to Iraqi forces. We will refocus our military efforts on the search for the mastermind behind the attacks on America: Osama bin Laden. We will refocus our diplomatic efforts on strengthening alliances that will enable us to fight terrorism around the world.

7. Energy independence.
America will never be secure unless we can break our addiction to foreign oil. We cannot solve the problem by replacing it with an addiction to domestic oil. Only inexpensive, efficient alternatives to fossil fuel can provide us with long-term security and independence. We will propose a significant increase in the funding for energy research, to hasten the day when experimental prototypes become commonplace on American roads.

8. Health care reform
The skyrocketing costs of health care have become a drag on the American economy and a nightmare for American workers. Along with liberty and the pursuit of happiness, every one of us should have a right to life, and sometimes life depends on health care. We will propose a health care plan that closes the gap of uninsured Americans, while retaining for them the right to chose their own doctors and keep their own insurance. Only when all Americans have access to health care will they have the freedom to live.

9. Crime reduction
With the growth of poverty, crime has become a serious problem in America. In the Democratic tradition of being tough on crime, we will take action to increase public safety and strengthen law enforcement. We will invest in our police force, get more officers on the streets, and get dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals. With our Law Enforcement bill, we will restore some of the programs that worked so well to reduce crime in America. We will also increase investment in anti-recidivism programs that keep convicts from returning to lives of crime.

10. Pro-women strategy for reducing Abortions
We believe in freedom, and we believe in women’s rights, and we will not violate those rights. We already know what happens when women’s rights are taken away, and we will not regress to those times. We see abortion as a symptom of larger causes: poverty, teen pregnancy, and lack of health care. We will propose a pro-family initiative aimed at alleviating the crises that women face. By treating the cause, we will cure the symptom without condemning women and children to lives of desperation and destitution. This pro-child initiative is vitally necessary for this country to heal itself of the terrible rift created by those who have used this issue as a wedge to divide Americans against Americans.

We pledge to propose each of these initiatives within 100 days of regaining a majority in Congress. We will never forget that the Legislative branch is supposed to represent YOU. We will never stop fighting for your rights, and we will hold accountable those who would curtail your liberties. We will fight for American values, no matter what the personal or political cost.

SIGNED
THE DEMOCRATIC CADIDATES OF 2006

Well, I would sign it, even if nobody else would.

© 2005 Bryan Lower

Feedback: