Democrats Will Make Their Own ‘Contract’

Democrats are planning to take to their House and Senate districts next month, learn what regular people are worried about, and forge their own version of the GOP “Contract With America,” House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt said Wednesday.

“We are saying, maybe we didn’t get enough done for you in 1993 and 1994, but if we get another chance, we’re going to really work hard to do some things that will affect your everyday lives in a positive manner,” Gephardt said at a briefing in his Capitol office.

The Democratic plan comes nearly two years after House Republicans crafted their contract as a campaign device to show what they could do if they were in control.

The new Democratic “Agenda for Progress” might emulate the GOP contract in style - it will be a written document that people can check for progress - but it will hardly mirror its content, Gephardt said.