GOP to unveil agenda on Thursday
Republicans are set to unveil an agenda that promises to roll back some of Obama's agenda while kick starting the economy.
The Hill:
The GOP, which polls show has a strong chance of winning back the House this fall, is culling the list of election-year agenda items from its "America Speaking Out" program. A spokesman for that project confirmed House and Senate GOP leaders will introduce the new contract on Thursday.The new contract, modeled after the 1994 "Contract with America" - credited with helping Republicans win the House in 1994, which they held until 2006-is intended to highlight what the Republican party would stand for if it were to return to power in Congress. For much of the last two years, Republicans have won points from voters chiefly by opposing the Obama administration's agenda.
GOP leaders have already hinted at some of the ideas that could be included. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), for instance, has called for a two-year freeze in tax rates and a reduction in spending to 2008 levels. President Obama and Democratic leaders want to extend most tax cuts, but would raise taxes on families with incomes above $250,000 annually and individuals who earn more than $200,000 a year.
Republicans have also pressed for repeal of the healthcare reform law, and for replacing it with new reforms. Some GOP figures have also called for repealing Wall Street reform.
The Democrats have already decided on an attack strategy; remember that guy George Bush?
DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen:
"Washington Republicans are finally getting around to releasing an agenda for this Congress. What's shocking is that it took them more than 20 months to repackage a plan that's no different from the one that caused the Great Bush Recession," he said. "Massive tax cuts for the rich paid for by the middle class, adding trillions to the deficit, putting special interests back in charge, and attempting to privatize Social Security and dismantle Medicare. We have seen this movie before and the American people walked out on it, we don't need a sequel."
Unfortunately for the Democrats, the voters are so mad at them that it won't matter that much what the GOP comes up with. The sense of betrayal is palpable with even Obama's most rabid supporters losing hope.
By election day, the country may be actually pining for the days of the Bush presidency.