Grampy McBush tells Chris Wallace that Republicans Need A New Contract With America

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Run time: 03:11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp4iuZwsEL8   Posted on YouTube: September 05, 2010 By YouTube Member: atmain Views on YouTube: 98   Posted on DU: September 05, 2010 By DU Member: Amerigo Vespucci Views on DU: 745

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/05/mccain-paul-ryan-social-security_n_706086.html

Today on "Fox News Sunday," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called for Senate Republicans to put out a detailed agenda of the party's policy ideas, but when pressed about his position on changing Social Security, he said he "can't endorse a specific proposal."

When host Chris Wallace asked McCain whether he is "comfortable with some of the Tea Party ideas that would dramatically shrink the size and the scope of the federal government," the senator said he favored repealing and replacing "Obamacare," introducing a balanced budget amendment, and eliminating pork barrel spending -- ideas that could constitute some sort of contract with America.

McCain also agreed the GOP caucus should "come forward with an agenda before the election," saying the American public needs a reason to vote for Republicans. Wallace then brought up Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) Roadmap for America's Future, which proposes changing Social Security by giving "workers under 55 the option of investing over one third of their current Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts." McCain paused, before shying away from the idea and saying he "can't endorse a specific proposal."

WALLACE: I just want to get back to this idea, the contract. The House Republicans are talking about, I guess they'll call it a Commitment to America. But Senate Republicans haven't been talking about that. Are you saying Senate Republicans should come forward with their own affirmative agenda between now and the election?

McCAIN: I think the Senate and House Republicans should come forward with an agenda before the election. Yes. You know, as much as, as happy as we are about the outcome of the elections, when you look at the approval ratings of Republicans they're just as bad as Democrats. We have to give them a reason to vote for us.

WALLACE: Let's talk about a few specifics that have come out from some member of the House Republican Caucus, like Paul Ryan with his roadmap and some of the Tea Partiers. Do you support the idea of allowing those under 55 -- not talking about people near retirement now -- allowing people under 55 to put up to a third of their payroll taxes in private accounts?

McCAIN: Frankly, I haven't seen that particular issue and in that detail, but everybody knows, all Americans know that we're going to have to fix Social Security and Medicare. And I notice that the Democrats are focusing in and they've rolled out the tired old, golden oldie that the Republicans are going to destroy Social Security. Which by the way, after Obamacare, they cut Medicare by half a trillion dollars, and also are doing away with Medicare advantage. So we don't talk about Republicans going to cut Medicare. But we need to sit down and we need to do what Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill did and come up with a solution. We know we need to do that, but I can't endorse a specific proposal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/05/mccain-paul-ryan-social-security_n_706086.html

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. He means a contract out on america.

[fascisthunter]

2. a contract to disappear into an oblivion

we have seen how nazi-like they people are.

[RoccoR5955]

3. They already have a contract on america, similar to the one they had

before. Yes, it's a contract ON America. He wants all of us to be contract workers with no benefits at all, as well as the Mafioso meaning.

[butterfly77]

4. If they win ..

they will play fake bipartisanship,with ultimatums at every turn,to box in Dems who will take this as a message that this is what the people want thinking this will give them cover to do nothing...

[AsahinaKimi]

5. Yeah so I wonder what

He really thinks of Sarah Palin.. who helped get him defeated. He says he welcomes the Tea party even though most of them don't represent a true cross of Americans.

[LandR]

6. Political Theory Fail

Let's give engulf and devour Republicans for a moment and allow to them to say that even if they could magically form a coalition between House and Senate Republicans, it would not be effective. The first Contract with America had ten goals, and three became laws - one of those goals was the line-item veto and the Supreme Court struck that down in Clinton v. City of New York. The point being is that even if the Republicans have the House and Senate, they are not effective. In a coalition that only concerns the House and Senate, the Republicans are focusing too much on Congress in the law-making process and really ought to include the President or Executive Branch into negotiations, unless an unlikely supermajority can be reached in Congress. The Contract with America was not a plan for governing, it was a plan for getting elected. Though having a clear platform is good for a party during a campaign and it would also help Republicans make this election about Democrats vs. Republicans, rather races focusing on individual vs. individual, Republicans cannot come together to even make a simple list of objectives. Additionally, the Contract with America was after 40 years of a Democratic majority in the House, so that helped fuel Republicans to form the coalition in 1994 as well.