Using "the pendulum theory" to explain away the HUGE success of the 1994 Republican "Contract with America" is nonsense on several levels.
The Poster of this argument states:
"After 20 years of the pendulum swinging HIS{Newt's} way, he caught a wave.
The antecedent swing back has not yet occurred in our direction.1) In 1992, after 12 years of UltraConservative presidents, the country elected a Democratic President who ran on a
populist platform of HealthCare and
caring for the little guy.A Democratic MAJORITY had been achieved (or maintained) in the House and Senate. This CANNOT be a description of a pendulum
swinging to the Right. The opposite is true. An observer of the pendulum would have to conclude that the pendulum had reached its apex to the right and was swinging BACK to the Left. Newt's (Atwater's) "Contract on America" stopped the pendulum dead in its tracks and reversed its direction back to the right, a swing from which we have not recovered.
Newt didn't catch a wave, he generated a wave!2) Someone who uses the Pendulum Theory to discredit the effectiveness of the "Contract on America" would have you believe that we are all victims of the immovable mass and pre-determined swing of
the Pendulum....that we are powerless and nothing we can do will affect the Ultimate Political Determining Force!
That is nonsense! No one here (at DU) believes this. If someone really believes this, they wouldn't be wasting their time on a political activism.
The
Party out of Power (Democrats) have a terrific advantage in that they can run on
reform! The Democratic Party CAN return to power by using the "Contract with America" as a campaign blueprint using
Economic Justice as a unifying theme. Unfortunately, its hard to claim
Economic Justice as a platform when some of your
own fucking people are VOTING for Economic
Injustice!! That is why I support
strong Party condemnation, and Party funding of Primary challengers for Democrats who vote FOR legislation that supports RICH CORPORATIONS and the VERY WEALTHY at the expense of LABOR, the Working Class, and the poor. Reform WILL REQUIRE UNITY and SPECIFIC REFORMS.
To refresh memories, here is a copy of 1994 Republican Contract on America", a blueprint for Democratic Success in 2006!On the first day of the 104th Congress, the new Republican majority will immediately pass the following major reforms, aimed at restoring the faith and trust of the American people in their government:
* FIRST, require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress;
* SECOND, select a major, independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud or abuse;
* THIRD, cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third;
* FOURTH, limit the terms of all committee chairs;
* FIFTH, ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
* SIXTH, require committee meetings to be open to the public;
* SEVENTH, require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase;
* EIGHTH, guarantee an honest accounting of our Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.
Thereafter, within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, we shall bring to the House Floor the following bills, each to be given full and open debate, each to be given a clear and fair vote and each to be immediately available this day for public inspection and scrutiny.
1. THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT: A balanced budget/tax limitation amendment and a legislative line-item veto to restore fiscal responsibility to an out- of-control Congress, requiring them to live under the same budget constraints as families and businesses. (Bill Text) (Description)
2. THE TAKING BACK OUR STREETS ACT: An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in- sentencing, "good faith" exclusionary rule exemptions, effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social spending from this summer's "crime" bill to fund prison construction and additional law enforcement to keep people secure in their neighborhoods and kids safe in their schools. (Bill Text) (Description)
3. THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT: Discourage illegitimacy and teen pregnancy by prohibiting welfare to minor mothers and denying increased AFDC for additional children while on welfare, cut spending for welfare programs, and enact a tough two-years-and-out provision with work requirements to promote individual responsibility. (Bill Text) (Description)
4. THE FAMILY REINFORCEMENT ACT: Child support enforcement, tax incentives for adoption, strengthening rights of parents in their children's education, stronger child pornography laws, and an elderly dependent care tax credit to reinforce the central role of families in American society. (Bill Text) (Description)
5. THE AMERICAN DREAM RESTORATION ACT: A S500 per child tax credit, begin repeal of the marriage tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts to provide middle class tax relief. (Bill Text) (Description)
6. THE NATIONAL SECURITY RESTORATION ACT: No U.S. troops under U.N. command and restoration of the essential parts of our national security funding to strengthen our national defense and maintain our credibility around the world. (Bill Text) (Description)
7. THE SENIOR CITIZENS FAIRNESS ACT: Raise the Social Security earnings limit which currently forces seniors out of the work force, repeal the 1993 tax hikes on Social Security benefits and provide tax incentives for private long-term care insurance to let Older Americans keep more of what they have earned over the years. (Bill Text) (Description)
8. THE JOB CREATION AND WAGE ENHANCEMENT ACT: Small business incentives, capital gains cut and indexation, neutral cost recovery, risk assessment/cost-benefit analysis, strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act and unfunded mandate reform to create jobs and raise worker wages. (Bill Text) (Description)
9. THE COMMON SENSE LEGAL REFORM ACT: "Loser pays" laws, reasonable limits on punitive damages and reform of product liability laws to stem the endless tide of litigation. (Bill Text) (Description)
10. THE CITIZEN LEGISLATURE ACT: A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators.
Did you notice how many of these provisions the Republican Party actually kept? Some of these we could lift verbatim and the Republican Party couldn't complain because they can't afford to have America looking at all these BROKEN promises.
Those who argue for
more of the same have their points. I don't believe them, but the proof will be in hindsight. I believe that trends will continue until something changes. If the Democratic Party can show the Nation that as a PARTY, they will fight for the people who actually Work for a Living, we might have a chance in 06. If we do nothing, we will lose more ground.