Aggressive Agility: Turn the GOP's Most Successful Political Ploy Against Them

Here begins a three-parter that merits old-fashioned reading and contemplation, about how to fix the Democrats' greatest disadvantage. 

Despite being far less corrupt and immensely more ethical, with a vast range of policies that poll far better among Americans... and despite Democratic administrations having universally better outcomes, re: economics, progress and even deficits... Democrats suffer one crucial disadvantage. When it comes to polemical/political tactics, they are absolute dunces.

Hence, let's dissect the most aggressively successful tactical-political ploy of the last 40 years. And see what we can learn from it.

  PONDERING AN UNUSUAL TACTIC FOR DEMOCRATS:

ISSUE A "BETTER CONTRACT FOR AMERICA"

or... A Newer Deal...

   

by David Brin

 (1^st version February 2006, revised October 2025)

 

 Today’s partisans – both Democrats and Republicans – will snort at the title of this proposal. To study one of the most successful political tactics of the modern era. 

 If anyone remembers the "Republican Contract with America" at all, it’s viewed as a ploy by Newt Gingrich and colleagues to sway the 1994 mid-terms. 

A Potemkin pretense at reform, that served to cover their true agenda.  

It worked! At achieving Newt’s short term goal – taking power in Congress. Though soon a radicalized GOP – some of them newly elected to Congress thanks to Gingrich’s tactic – would betray and eject him as Speaker of the House, swapping in Dennis Hastert, first in a long chain of perverted psychopaths.[1] 

They also cynically tossed every reform that that Newt had promised.

 Today’s Democrats recall his “Contract” as both a painful defeat and flagrant hypocrisy. 

 To the scandal-ridden Republicans of 2025, it’s a hoary anecdote – relic of a bygone era, when they still felt compelled to at least feign serious intent. 

 Sure, parties often post platforms or lists of intent. Some of them made a difference in their day. FDR’s New Deal and LBJ’s Great Society, for example**. But none in recent memory had the clarity and instant political effects of the Gingrich ‘contract.’

 Hence, I propose that we study it for use – with both honest intent and ironic satire – by the other side! I’ll include at least thirty possibilities, any one of which might be political gold. 

 Though, alas, none of them is on the horizon of any Democratic politician.

 

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THE THREE PARTS

 

I.   A rumination:  Might Democrats help clarify their differences from the GOP with their own Newest… or Best Deal for the American People?

 

II.  A compact copy of the 1994 “Republican Contract with America” appraising how every part was betrayed.  

 

III.  A Draft “Democratic Newest Deal for the American People.”  

  

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So, for now, let’s commence with Part One.

 

I.           Might the Democratic Party help clarify its opposition to the gone-mad GOP, by reminding, comparing and contrasting to the “Contract with America”?

 

Our generation’s hard task is to end phase nine of the US Civil War and restore sanity to American political life. Not just for liberals, Democrats and blue state moderates, but also for honest libertarians, greens, fiscal conservatives, Goldwater conservatives, constitutionalist conservatives, actual 'leftists' and anyone else who wants a nation run by grownups, instead of loony toddlers and criminals. 

Alas, too many delight prematurely in the current President's falling poll numbers. Democrats may retake a chamber of Congress in 2026 or the presidency in 2028. (There are scenarios where turnover could happen earlier.[2]) But even those victories will remain sterile, unless we calm rifts of hatred that were ignited first by Hastert and Karl Rove, then more poisonously by the entire Fox-o-sphere.

 

Many liberal activists foresee such a memic victory "if only we refine our message," while shrugging-off the hard work of studying and refining! Instead, far too many just double down on what did not work last time. Meanwhile the neoconservative movement – then its Trumpist heir – assiduously spent decades and billions reinventing themselves after defeats in 1964 and 1974 and 2008.

 

Democrats may need to be just as inventive.

 

 

    == What the Gingrich Republicans did, and why they hope you forgot ==

 

No current GOP leader would mention the words “Contract with America.” They recall the punishment that they implicitly accepted, if they betrayed their promises! And so, Let’s remind the public of that!

 

Specifically, there may be an opportunity to:

1.   Learn from a clever methodology and message,

2.   Spur public revulsion by highlighting betrayed GOP promises, 

3.  Show sincerity by including some ideas from better versions of conservatism,

4.  Crystallize a reinvigorated liberalism that might go down well with U.S. Voters.

 

Next time, I will append a truncated summary of Gingrich’s original “Contract with America,” which divides into three categories.[3]  

 * Good ideas that seemed reasonable then, because they were reasonable.  Promises the neocon-GOP quickly betrayed, and that later MAGA mutants would denounce as commie-Soros plotting! 

Only, suppose Democrats offer honest conservatives a chance to do these good ideas right. Especially public accountability, e.g. by instituting measures like the Inspector General of the United States (IGUS), and permanent subpoena power for the Congressional minority. (See Part Three.)  

 * Conservative ideas that Democrats disagree-with, but seemed at least sincere.  These, too, were mostly betrayed. Only we might now say that Democrats are willing to negotiate, if decent conservatives show the guts to step up with reason and good will. Starting by recanting Trumpism.

 * Dismal/horrid stuff. Endeavors aimed only at benefiting fat cats and aristocrats and thieves.Notably, some of these planks actually took effect. Any new Democratic “deal” would replace them with excellent liberal ideas.

By adopting the good parts, and offering to negotiate some other conservative wants, we’re seen reaching out to millions of decent American conservatives who are uncomfortable with Trumpism, but who stay in the Foxite tent, fearing a strawman of intransigent “commie liberals.” Then, by replacing aristocracy-friendly planks with some that actually benefit our children, we emphasize basic differences that make Democrats the party of smart compassion. 

Some will carp this as copycat imitation! So, test it in focus groups! Will folks appreciate the aggressive irony? Rubbing GOP/maga noses into their own hypocrisy? ^[4] While clearly reaching out for accommodation with all sincere Americans. Go ahead. Glance at the ‘94 “Contract” (next posting).  I’ll be interested which parts people deem worthy of adoption, modification, satire, or fierce repudiation.

Above all, this is a test of your curiosity. Together let’s interrogate a brilliant maneuver that tricked millions of your fellow citizens. One of many that are still used today. Tricks that will never be defeated until we find the patience to study them.

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[1] Soon after issuing the “contract” and leading the GOP to victory, Gingrich was jettisoned by his own party as Speaker of the House, because – despite fierce and sometimes fulminating partisanship - Newt did want to legislate!. Which meant negotiation with Bill Clinton, achieving bipartisan marvels like the Budget Act and welfare reform. And that very bipartisanship was his undoing! His sin, according to the new GOP super-radicals. 

Look up Dennis Hastert, who replaced Newt G as Speaker, making Hastert titular head of their party, two heartbeats from the presidency! Hastert was later convicted and imprisoned for gross sexual predation on children. He also instituted the “Hastert Rules,” which ban any Republican office-holder from ever negotiating with Democrats, for any reason including the national interest, or even having friendships with them, ever again.

[2] Before that? Well, it’s remotely possible. Say, if major revelations like Epstein kompromat were to stoke just twenty or so House and Senate Republicans to find the sanity, decency, patriotism and guts to secede from their party’s orgy of treason. It is theoretically possible they might work with Democrats to replace the current gang with some residually honorable Republicans, perhaps in the mold of Eisenhower, who would try to unite America and return its government to adult supervision.  One can dream.

[3] For a detailed appraisal of how neoconservatives re-invented themselves, learning masterful techniques for attaining power over all three branches of government, see my prescient article from 2006: The Republican Party's Mutant Re-Invention: How they Accomplished it....and What Democrats Must Do In Order to Catch Up.

[4] For example, the whole bizarre notion that America’s military readiness increased under Republican control merits scathing rebuttal!  We are less ready for an emergency now, under GOP scatterbrained shills who have dispersed even most of the officers charged with intel on terrorism threats(!) than we were before 9/11. This is an issue that could truly pry some conservatives away from the GOP!

 ** Both massive programs - the New Deal and Great Society - invested heavily in – and transformed – the poorest parts of the nation, which today suffer from ingratitude-amnesia, alas.