Gingritch: I boffed her because I'm such a hard-working, patriotic person

[Ed Anger]

I liked the concept of the Contract With America.  Not the particulars, of which I remember none, just the notion that "here's a list of things we promise to do if you elect us."

Don't all parties do that every election?

Last congressional election, the Dems line was:

BUSH DID IT. IT'S ALL HIS FAULT. DON'T ELECT THEM.

I guess that explains why they lost so many seats.  Bush hadn't been president for two years.

I can't help it if the party you like ran shitty campaigns.

[DGuller]

Parties endorse platforms which are full of plattiudes like "we will work for goodness and against badness."

Nothing wrong with working for goodness and against badness in my book. 

[grumbler]

Don't all parties do that every election?

Parties endorse platforms which are full of plattiudes like "we will work for goodness and against badness."

The CWA was very specific (things like eliminat the National Endowment for the Arts) and it was signed by the great majority, if not all, Republican Congressmen who won election that term.

Yes, the Contract on America was specific and, importantly, limited.  It was not, as you note, a catchall sloganeering document but a finely tailored message.

It did have some wishywashiness about fraud, waste, and abuse, and some clearly unrealistic elements like (IIRC) term limits, but I would agree with you that it was a significant benefit to the Republicans in that election.  I wish more US elections were run on those kinds of grounds.

[grumbler]

Last congressional election, the Dems line was:

BUSH DID IT. IT'S ALL HIS FAULT. DON'T ELECT THEM.

I guess that explains why they lost so many seats.  Bush hadn't been president for two years.

I can't help it if the party you like ran shitty I get my campaigns confused.

FYPFY. 

[Barrister]

Yes, the Contract on America was specific and, importantly, limited.  It was not, as you note, a catchall sloganeering document but a finely tailored message.

It did have some wishywashiness about fraud, waste, and abuse, and some clearly unrealistic elements like (IIRC) term limits, but I would agree with you that it was a significant benefit to the Republicans in that election.  I wish more US elections were run on those kinds of grounds.

[grumbler]

Yes, the Contract on America was specific and, importantly, limited.  It was not, as you note, a catchall sloganeering document but a finely tailored message.

It did have some wishywashiness about fraud, waste, and abuse, and some clearly unrealistic elements like (IIRC) term limits, but I would agree with you that it was a significant benefit to the Republicans in that election.  I wish more US elections were run on those kinds of grounds.

Humor doesn't translate well across borders, I note. 

[Barrister]

The line "Contract on America" grew old very quickly in the mid 90s, and has not improved with age.

[grumbler]

The line "Contract on America" grew old very quickly in the mid 90s, and has not improved with age.

  To the sticks in the mud, probably so.  I have always enjoyed it, as well as the "No Child Left Alive" bon mot.

[Razgovory]

The line "Contract on America" grew old very quickly in the mid 90s, and has not improved with age.

Not as quick as the Contract with America did.

[Tonitrus]

Don't all parties do that every election?

Parties endorse platforms which are full of plattiudes like "we will work for goodness and against badness."

The CWA was very specific (things like eliminat the National Endowment for the Arts) and it was signed by the great majority, if not all, Republican Congressmen who won election that term.

Yes, the Contract on America was specific and, importantly, limited.  It was not, as you note, a catchall sloganeering document but a finely tailored message.

It did have some wishywashiness about fraud, waste, and abuse, and some clearly unrealistic elements like (IIRC) term limits, but I would agree with you that it was a significant benefit to the Republicans in that election.  I wish more US elections were run on those kinds of grounds.

Clearly the most unrealistic item from the Contract with America was tort reform.