Where the Contract with American Failed, the Freshmen 5o Will Succeed

One thing our founding fathers could not foresee… was a nation governed by professional politicians who have a vested interest in getting reelected. They probably envisioned a fellow serving a couple of hitches and then looking forward to getting back to the farm.” — Ronald Reagan

The energy of 1994 led to the Contract with America, and the huge Republican victory of that year. It was a victory for Republicans, but was it a victory for America?

The Contract with America had an inherent flaw. It was a political party bargaining with Americans: give us power and this is what we will do for you. The Freshmen 50 is different: it is Americans telling the federal government what it will do.

We are citizen-candidates united on a platform of six simple and realistic reforms for our government:

• Apply the Law Equally: All laws that apply to all citizens also apply to Congress
• Term Limits: Limit terms in Congress to no more than 12 years in the House and Senate, respectively
• Enforce Congressional Ethics: Yearly tax and expense audits, former Congressmen and their staff cannot be lobbyists, allow the ethics committee to do their job
• Read the Bill: Prior to final vote, the entire bill must be read out loud on the floor of the House; if a representative is not present for the entire reading, he cannot vote
• Tax Reform: Repeal our current tax code in favor of one that taxes only once, at one rate, and require a 2/3-majority vote for any new tax
• Balance the Budget: Amend the Constitution to require a balanced budget

We are unique.

We have never been elected to the House or Senate. We have left our jobs and normal lives. We are ophthalmologists, teachers, pilots, military vets and reservists, stay-at-home-moms, small businessmen … we are American citizens, and we will hold each other accountable.

I started the Freshmen 50 in summer 2009, when I decided to make a run for Arizona’s 8^th Congressional District. But I understand something very significant: I cannot change Washington by myself. After looking at some of the other candidates around the country, I saw that we could have a strong coalition going in together in January 2011. Finally, we can put into law the reforms the American people want.

Please go to the website and view the scores of candidates who have signed on. Any candidate can still become part of the “Bullpen”, so long as they agree to the platform. The final 50 candidates will be selected in the fall as we go into the general election based on a combination of their respective chance of success and the degree to which The Freshmen 50 PAC can make the biggest impact on the status quo. The final 50 candidates will receive PAC money and a national advertising campaign will be launched on their behalf.

The only way we will be successful is for millions of Americans to contribute a little bit each. The Freshmen 50 provides the focus to break through Washington’s status quo.

The Freshmen 50 is a PAC, but unlike most PACs, there is no special interest behind it. It’s just you, me, and the radical notion that “We the People” should represent our neighbors responsibly.