The GOP and Their New Pledge to America

The House Republicans unveiled their Pledge to America yesterday in an attempt to provide a platform for which Americans can affirmatively vote for the GOP.  While much of what is contained within the Pledge is excellent, it frankly does not go anywhere far enough to correct the dangerous fiscal crisis in which America finds itself currently.

There are indeed some excellent aspects to the Pledge.  The top 10 of my personally favorite items within the pledge include the following:

1.  The House will try and repeal the pernicious and un-constitutional Obamacare act.  While it is unlikely that there will be enough votes to over-ride a guaranteed presidential veto on this matter, it is a good start in setting the stage on the issue.

2.  There is a mandate that all legislation will have a specific clause upon it stating where congress derives the constitutional authority for presenting each bill.  (This is a basic check on government over-reach that is long over due.  I suspect that this will still be abused, but it is a step in the right direction.)

3.  Congress will cancel the TARP program.  Now any businesses that are run recklessly and foolishly will have to survive or fail on their own merits.  No longer will they get tax-payer funded bail outs!

4.  Congress will cancel all unspent stimulus money immediately.

5.  Congress will eliminate control over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  These GSE's will have to operate as private businesses going forward from this point.

6.  The tax-payer funding of abortions will be ended.

7.  The packaging of controversial riders on top of other "must-pass" legislation will be ended.  A bill will have to advance on its own merits instead of using such tactics as Harry Reid has tried lately with adding items such as the repealing of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the repealing of the Hyde amendment so as to allow tax payer funded abortions in military hospitals being attached to a defense appropriation budget bill.

8.  Congress intends to fully fund the missile defense program that President Obama foolishly cut.  This is vital in an era where rogue nations such as North Korea and Iran have or are in the process of having nuclear weapons capable of hitting areas of vital interest to America and its allies.

9.  Congress will strengthen border security.  This remains to be seen, but hopefully the government will actually back up their rhetoric on this for once.

10.  Congress will try to thwart any cap  & trade legislation and will work to foster the development of more domestic energy sources.

By and large, the pledge is a great start.  As I said though, it needs to go much further in the rolling back of government and in the facilitating of the cutting of spending. 

A great place to do this is by revamping social security and medicare which account for a huge percentage of the federal budget and are still forecasted to go broke in the very near future.  Another place to cut spending, especially for symbolic reasons to return control of certain issues to the states, is the abolishing of the Department of Education.  This is far better handled on a state level anyway.

Further, the Department of Energy which was founded during the Carter administration ostensibly to wean America's dependence upon oil has been a blatant failure.  It also should be disbanded accordingly.

There are plenty of other areas where the Pledge does not go far enough, but it is a far preferable agenda to that being proposed by the tax and spend socialists of the Democratic congress and President currently at the helm. 

One last issue I would like to see addressed; I would like to see each member of congress, particularly the Republicans, sign their names to the pledge to indicate that they will indeed abide by its excellent suggestions and thus be held accountable in their successes or failures accordingly.

Please read the Republican Pledge to America for yourself here.