The Republicans Latest Contract

Two issues come to the fore on the Republicans newest electoral blueprint: taxes and abortion.

The GOP promises on tax rates are a day late and a few hundred million dollars short, since any effort to keep the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts in place must be done in the current term.

Including them in their list of promises is a bit cynical actually, since any tax policy changes will likely be made in the lame duck session if they are to be made at all. If the Republicans capture the House in the interim, having this happen detracts from the perceived legitimacy of government - which is what they are counting on.

It is the ultimate in cynicism, totally unpatriotic and likely fueled by campaign contributions from libertarians who want to destabilize the system - the Koch brothers (who are major Tea Party funders).

In no universe is their strategy not damaging to their oath to protect and defend the Constitution.

On the health insurance and abortion front, this little bit of social conservatism plays into the lie that abortion is covered under reform. Even now, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is maintaining that this is the case, rather than admitting that Sister Carol Keenan of the Catholic Health Association was right about this issue. One wonders why they are intransigent on this issue - at least until you look at which seats the Republicans are counting on to win back the House - the pro-life Democrats who voted in the end for the Patient Protection Act. That the Republicans and the Bishops are continuing this lie is shameful, and in the bishop's case, sinful.