New GOP Manifesto

So how did Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” work out?

Well here comes part two, the GOP’s “Get to Know Us Again” manifesto.

You’ll like their 7 point fresh message:

1. A constitutional limit on federal spending. Hey, Colorado did it, dropped it. It was a dramatic economic failure, so let's try it on America. It’ the old is fresh idea of The Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR.

2. A new “voluntary” simplified flat income tax alternative. Wow, two tax systems instead of the complicated one we have now. And I’m sure it would cost nothing to make the partial change, right?

3. A proposal to require recipients of food stamps or housing aid to meet work requirements, “so that those who are not old, young or disabled are either working in the private sector or serving in their community.” Work or don’t eat. Don’t you love getting tough with the homeless and hungry during down turns in the economy? “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”- A Christmas Carol.

4. Tax credits for buying health insurance. Ah yes, a handful of dollars compared with the actual cost of your insurance premiums. That will help. I hope it's indexed to inflation.

5. More domestic energy production. So many mountain tops, so little time.

In what might be the understatement of the year, one Republican proudly proclaims, “We have to get back to our core identity.”

A rotten to the core identity, that is.