The Conservative Tea Party Contract on America
For the better part of the past year, Republicans have tried to come up with a new agenda for the American people with mixed results. However, with the Tea Party now the most potent force in Republican politics, and with the recent launch of the Tea Party Caucus on Capitol Hill garnering the support of Republican leaders like National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Pete Sessions and Republican Caucus Chair Mike Pence, the Republican Party agenda has become clear. Republican leaders and Tea Party-supported Republican candidates can now rally around the "Republican Tea Party Contract on America" as the blueprint for how they would govern.
1. Repeal the Affordable Care Act (Health Insurance Reform)
Put insurance companies back in charge, repeal tax credits for small businesses, allow insurance companies to deny coverage based on preexisting conditions and to drop coverage when a person gets too sick and make prescription drugs for seniors less affordable.
2. Privatize Social Security or phase it out altogether
Turn the guaranteed retirement benefits of America's seniors over to Wall Street CEOs by putting Social Security at risk in the stock market or, as some Republicans have called for, phase out Social Security altogether and end a program millions of American seniors rely on for their survival.
3. End Medicare as it presently exists
Phase out and end Medicare as it presently exists for future generations of seniors -- ending Medicare's guaranteed healthcare benefits for more than 40 million American seniors -- and replace it with a voucher system which will result in higher premiums and fewer services for seniors.
4. Extend the Bush tax breaks for the wealthy and big oil
At a cost of nearly $700 billion, extend the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and big oil, which are set to expire and which have and will continue to explode the federal budget deficit.
5. Repeal Wall Street Reform
Roll back the toughest consumer protections ever enacted, allow banks to continue to grow too big to fail, and ensure that predatory lenders continue to utilize their most abusive practices.
6. Protect those responsible for the oil spill and future environmental catastrophes
Cap liabilities for those responsible for environmental disasters like the Gulf oil spill and let companies like BP decide which victims deserve compensation for the disaster and what the timeline for relief should be.
7. Abolish the Department of Education
Put the big banks back in charge of student loans and put an end to federal assistance for public schools.
8. Abolish the Department of Energy
End America's investments in a clean-energy future and disband the organization responsible for oversight of nuclear materials.
9. Abolish the Environmental Protection Agency
Gut the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act -- which together protect our kids from air pollution and keep drinking water safe -- and disband the watchdog that holds polluters accountable.
10. Repeal the 17th Amendment
Take away your right to pick your U.S. Senator.
1) Position taken by: House Republican Leader John Boehner [The Hill, 4/12/10], Rep. Paul Ryan [The Hill, 1/14/09], Rep. Mike Pence [Politico, 4/14/10], Rep. Steve King [Boston Globe, 3/22/10], FL Senate Candidate Marco Rubio[Marco Rubio release, 1/14/10], Sen. Jim DeMint and Rep. Jeff Flake [Politico, 1/14/09]
2) Position taken by: Rep. Paul Ryan [Wall Street Journal, 1/26/10], Indiana Senate Candidate Dan Coats [Weekly Standard, 5/12/10], Rep. Jeb Hensarling [Politico, 2/2/10], Rep. Michele Bachmann[TPM, 2/9/10], Rep. Roscoe Bartlett and Rep. Rep. Marsha Blackburn [TPM, 2/9/10]
3) Position taken by: Rep. Paul Ryan [Rep. Paul Ryan op-ed, WSJ, 4/1/09], Rep. Bob Inglis And Rep. Jeff Flake [TPM, 3/3/10], Rep. Roscoe Bartlett and Rep. Rep. Marsha Blackburn [TPM, 2/9/10], Rep. Jeb Hensarling [Politico, 2/2/10], 2009 House Republican Budget [AP, 4/1/09]
4) Position taken by: Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell [TPM, 7/13/10], Sen. John Kyl [The Hill, 6/27/10], FL Senate candidate Marco Rubio [Fox News, 6/28/10], Sen. Tom Coburn [C-SPAN, 7/14/10], Sen. Judd Gregg [TPM, 7/13/10], Sen. Chuck Grassley [McClatchy, 7/14/10], CA Senate candidate Carly Fiorina [Calitics, 7/12/10]
5) Position taken by: House Republican Leader John Boehner [CNN, 7/15/10], Rep. Mike Pence [Politico, 7/21/10], Sen. Lamar Alexander [TPM, 7/15/10], Sen. Saxby Chambliss [Fox News, 7/16/10], Sen. Richard Shelby [ABC News, 7/16/10], Senate Candidate Dino Rossi [The Hill, 7/27/10]
6) Position taken by: Sen. Judd Gregg and Sen. David Vitter [McClatchy, 6/9/10], House Republican Leader John Boehner [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 6/29/10], Rep. Joe Barton [TPM, 6/17/10], Sen. John Cornyn [TPM, 6/17/10], Rep. Roy Blunt [News Leader, 6/22/10], Rep. Trent Franks [Rep Franks release, 6/18/10], Rep. Steve King [The Hill, 6/21/10], Rep. Ralph Hall [Dallas Morning News, 6/19/10], Rep. Michele Bachmann [Fox News, 6/16/10], 114-Member Republican Study Committee [TPM, 6/16/10]
7) Position taken by: KY Senate candidate Rand Paul [Lexington Herald-Leader, 4/6/10] [Bowling Green Daily News, 4/14/2010], NV Senate candidate Sharron Angle [Nevada News and Views, 3/22/10], Colorado Senate Candidate Jane Norton [Colorado Independent, 12/15/09], Maine Republican Party Platform [Maine Politics, 5/10/10]
8) Position taken by: NV Senate candidate Sharron Angle [Nevada News and Views, 3/22/10], Sen. Jeff Sessions [Politico, 6/16/10], KS Congressional candidate Dave Kind [Lawrence Journal-World, 7/25/10]
9) Position taken by: KY Senate candidate Rand Paul [Happy Hour, Fox Business Network, 1/22/2010], KS Congressional candidate Dave Kind [Lawrence Journal-World, 7/25/10]
10) Position taken by: Rep. Paul Broun [Think Progress, 7/9/10], Rep. Louie Gohmert [TPM, 3/23/10], Ohio Congressional candidate Steve Stivers [The Hill, 1/11/10], Idaho Republican Party Platform [Idaho Republican Platform, 6/26/10]
The Tea Nuts would like to take America back to the good old days of extreme right-wing disaster like 2008. Conservatives have always hated progress no matter how much damage they do to the average American family. It's conservatism first, America last in their list of priorities.
