IN ORDER TO HAVE YOU VOTE TO ELECT ME TO THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES FOR WHICH I AM A CANDIDATE NOW CAMPAIGNING, I VOLUNTARILY MAKE THE FOLLOWING
CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT TO YOU THE VOTER, EFFECTIVE NO LATER THAN WHEN I AM ELECTED:
1. I WILL SUPPORT THE BAN OF ALL CURRENT OR PAST CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS, INCLUDING
COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, FROM ANY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ROLE. THIS
IS BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUAL FAILURE OF BOTH DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO
STOP SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYING CORRUPTION OR RISE ABOVE PARTISAN GAMESMANSHIP.
Although Congress has only a 9% approval rating, the election is rigged to re-elect incumbents.
But real change can still happen if those responsible for that low rating - the incumbent Congressional
leadership - can be fired. In fact, they can be fired after the election, when they can be replaced with
new bipartisan leadership chosen nationally for the first time!
Until now, Congress has elected its own leadership by itself. Those elected are always among
the most senior, with the longest, strongest ties to corrupt big business special interest lobbyists.
That tradition appears to promote double-dealing and must end now.
The ban includes any lame-duck session of the 110th Congress if called back into session after
the November 4th election. Either or both chambers would have to hold new leadership elections, if
the number of incumbents signing this Contract ends the current Congressional leadership's majority,
as is likely.
It should be recognized that it is the current system inbred with special interest lobbying, not
the people working within it, that is fundamentally corrupt. Nonetheless, both the current system and
its leaders must be changed to bring needed change.
2. I WILL SUPPORT REPLACEMENT OF THOSE FAILED REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
WITH FRESH NEW CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS THAT WILL GOVERN A BIPARTISAN WORKING
MAJORITY OF FISCAL CONSERVATIVES AND MODERATES.
THE GOAL OF THIS NEW CENTER MAJORITY OF CONGRESS IS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL TEAM USA
WORKING IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST. IT IS TO STOP SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYING CORRUPTION,
ESPECIALLY WASTEFUL SPENDING SUCH AS EARMARKS LIKE THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE. THE NEW
CENTER TEAM USA LEADERS ARE HEREBY DRAFTED AS FOLLOWS:
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER SEN. TOM COBURN (TEAM USA REPUBLICAN)
SENATE MAJORITY WHIP SEN. BLANCHE LINCOLN (TEAM USA DEMOCRAT)
SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM. SEN. JIM DEMINT (TEAM USA REPUBLICAN)
SENATE MINORITY LEADER SEN. BILL NELSON (TEAM USA DEMOCRAT)
SENATE MINORITY WHIP SEN. DAVID VITTER (TEAM USA REPUBLICAN)
HOUSE SPEAKER REP. MARCY KAPTUR (TEAM USA DEMOCRAT)
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER REP. PAUL RYAN (TEAM USA REPUBLICAN)
HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP REP. ALLEN BOYD (TEAM USA DEMOCRAT)
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER REP. PETER DEFAZIO (TEAM USA DEMOCRAT)
HOUSE MINORITY WHIP REP. JEFF FLAKE (TEAM USA REPUBLICAN)
WHEN ELECTED I WILL ACT AS A MEMBER OF TEAM USA TO SUPPORT AND WORK DIRECTLY
WITH MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CENTER WORKING MAJORITY, TEAM USA. I WILL ALSO
SUPPORT AND WORK CLOSELY AND COOPERATIVELY WITH THE ABOVE CENTER MAJORITY TEAM USA
LEADERS OF BOTH CHAMBERS UNTIL THE END OF MY TERM.
Seniority during at least the 111th Congress will be considered generally a negative factor in
the selection of any committee and subcommittee chairmen or any other leadership roles.
Earmarks are targeted because they are the most blatantly corrupt spending in Congress. They
are slipped into bills without any review, usually at the last minute. Earmarks are bribes to
constituents to buy votes and must be completely banned, including "soft" earmarks. Ending
Earmarks is just the first step in controlling wasteful government spending, but a first step that must
be taken. Earmarks are the low hanging fruit.
Viewed in another way, earmarks are only the most visible tip of the huge iceberg of wasteful
spending. They are the clearest possible proof of Congressional total lack of fiscal discipline with the
public's money. And proof of much larger waste hidden beneath the visible tip. If Congress cannot
even control Earmarks, it cannot control any other wasteful spending either.
3. I WILL SUPPORT AND SIGN A BILL BANNING ALL FEDERAL OFFICIALS, STAFF, AND OTHER
EMPLOYEES FROM SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYING JOBS OR ANY OTHER WORK IN WHICH THE
APPEARANCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS WITH ANY PRIOR FEDERAL DUTY.
More specifically, with the same speed as used in passing the Bailout Bill, I will promulgate
regulations and sign into law legislation banning the lobbyist revolving door no later than January 31,
2009, with an immediate effective date. This is my highest non-emergency priority.
The new regulations and law are critical in establishing this vital ban to restore confidence of
the American people in the integrity of their government and the essential economic and other
services it provides the country. We will never find good solutions to critical problems confronting our
nation until we take corruption out of the process.
The ban must absolutely prohibit any former Federal government official or employee from
working for compensation (as an employee or lobbyist, registered or not, or other contractor or in any
other capacity) for any organization having any interests over which that former Federal government
official or employee had any administrative, regulatory, or legislative oversight or control during his or
her government service.
The mere appearance of any conflict of interest between any of an individual's Federal
government duties and his or her later non-Federal work must absolutely preclude that later work.
To work the law must have teeth. Therefore, anyone found to be violating the prohibition would
be subject to personal penalties including fines equaling at least all compensation for the prohibited
work such as any salaries and/or other financial or other benefits. Personal penalties shall also
include incarceration equaling at least the entire period of prohibited work.
Any business or other organization providing any such prohibited work will face the same
personal penalties for those individuals within the organization responsible for the violation, and the
organization itself will be subject to compensatory and punitive damages.
The Justice Department's budget will be increased in terms of funding and employment
sufficient for fulfilling its new function of policing the new anti-revolving door statute and regulations
(the resources may become directly self-sustaining from fines). Also, whistleblowers Federal statues
will be modified to include specifically violations of the new prohibition.
Both Capitol Hill and the Administration have thousands of wonderful, talented and patriotic
Americans working there, but the revolving door system within which they all work has evolved over
many decades in a way that is fundamentally corrupt and broken, and that must be completely swept
away, with no exceptions.
4. I WILL VOLUNTARILY REJECT ANY GIFTS, SUBSIDIES, OR DONATIONS OF FUNDS OR VOLUNTEER
WORK FROM ANY SPECIAL INTERESTS OR LOBBYISTS, AS WILL ALL OF MY STAFF.
In addition, I will never use campaign contributions to put any of my family members on my
campaign payroll.
5. I WILL VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE TO BAR ANY PRIVATE MEETINGS AND ANY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMUNICATIONS WITH ANY LOBBYIST OR SPECIAL INTEREST, AS WILL ALL OF MY STAFF. I WILL
NEVER ALLOW LOBBYISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIVATE DRAFTING OF REGULATIONS OR LEGISLATION,
AS WILL ALL OF MY STAFF.
More specifically, barred private meetings include but are not limited to airplane rides or other
forms of travel, golf or other games or exercise including walks, meals, drinking, receptions, parties,
entertainment, or educational visits or conferences.
Barred confidential communications include but are not limited to letters, notes, memos,
emails, phone calls, voicemail and text, audio, video, or other messages. Any non-private meetings
will be open to the public with reasonable notice provided in advance. All official business
communications will be made public at least by posting quickly on my Web site for easy access.
6. I WILL SUPPORT AND SIGN REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION FOR FULL INVESTOR RIGHTS TO
CONTROL THE GOVERNANCE OF PUBLIC CORPORATIONS AND ALL FINANCIAL FUNDS, INCLUDING
HEDGE FUNDS. THIS IS TO END WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION, PARTICULARLY INTERNAL SELFDEALING
AT THE BOARD AND/OR TOP MANAGEMENT LEVEL. INCLUDED ARE BOTH OWNERSHIP OR
GOVERNANCE RIGHTS AND FUND INVESTMENT RIGHTS.
Also, I will support and sign regulations and legislation to ban mandatory arbitration for investor
disputes, since it is unfairly biased against investors, who must be guaranteed their full legal rights.
7. BECAUSE OF THE DANGEROUS ECONOMIC CRISIS, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANY NEW TAXES OR
TAX INCREASES (INCLUDING INCREASING EFFECTIVE MARGINAL TAX RATES) DURING THE TERM OF
THE NEW 111TH CONGRESS. PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER RAISED TAXES AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE GREAT DEPRESSION. I WILL NOT VOTE TO REPEAT THIS TERRIBLE MISTAKE.
The entire two year term of this Congress is going to be required to rebuild the extremely fragile
capital markets necessary for renewed economic prosperity in America.
Any new taxes or tax increases, such as capital gains tax increases or increases to the highest
brackets or marginal rates of the income tax (President Hoover's terrible mistake), reduce the value
of capital, certainly cause further real estate and stock market declines.
The American economy would thereby lose many trillions of dollars, in addition to what it
already has lost in October. This would occur at exactly the time the economy's most critical need is to
rebuild its capital base, which has already suffered a $14 trillion decline in the credit, stock, and real
estate markets.
In addition, I will not vote for any refundable tax credits or any other tax change that increases
effective marginal tax rates, thereby creating perverse incentives not to work, both for low income
workers and moderate income workers.
The only exemption is gradually phased-in increases over the next decade in the gasoline tax in order
to reduce our extreme over-dependence on foreign oil, which greatly reduces the strength of the
economy and national defense. It is absolutely imperative that the U.S. transitions out of SUV's and
large trucks and into smaller hybrid, all-electric, CNG and Diesel cars and light trucks as soon as
possible. The CAFE approach is a proven failure.
Also, "Cap and Spend" programs, including carbon tax systems, are in effect major new taxes. They
will be deferred at least during this Congressional term and until New England and Europe can test the
efficacy of the approach.
Since nearly all economic growth and employment increases in America are created by
individuals and small businesses, U.S. economic policies must focus on supporting and protecting
them. Most laws and regulations have been written by big business lobbyists to their advantage, so
they must all be reviewed and revised as soon as possible to correct this unwarranted bias.
8. ALSO BECAUSE OF THE DANGEROUS ECONOMIC CRISIS, I WILL CREATE A SPECIAL TEMPORARY
POSITION FOR FORMER FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN PAUL VOLCKER (DEMOCRAT), THE MOST ABLE
AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT IN AMERICA. HE WILL SERVE AS THE ECONOMIC CZAR FOR THE
ENTIRE AMERICAN ECONOMY, ACTING DIRECTLY UNDER THE PRESIDENT AND WITH MY AUTHORITY.
Economic Czar Volcker would have the broadest possible oversight and appointment authority
over at least the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC),
Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift Supervision, Federal Housing Administration (FHA),
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as with international counterparts. His mission to to end the
current economic crisis and prevent any future such crisis.
His Deputy will be Anna Schwartz, by far the most highly qualified monetary expert in America.
The nation's economic leadership during this economic crisis has been appalling bad. The poor
performance includes both reactive crisis management and ignoring significant long term warning
signs over many years. With implementation of the previous seven provisions of this Economic Crisis
Contract and with a new Presidential Administration in January, all the Federal perpetrators of this
historically ugly economic mess will be replaced.
Except one: Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, whose term expires in January, 2010.
I will vote to support a Congressional demand by January 31st that Chairman Bernanke resign
immediately. This is due also to his leading role in the Fed's deeply flawed policy of monetary ease
that led directly to the real estate bubble and the later commodity bubble, without both of which the
current economic crisis would not have occurred.
In solitary contrast, FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair's performance has been outstanding and I will
strongly support her continuing her exceptionally vital service through the end of her term in mid-2011.
I WILL NOT COMPROMISE THIS VOLUNTARILY MADE CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT THAT I HAVE
MADE TO YOU THE VOTER, NEITHER THE LETTER NOR THE SPIRIT OF ANY PART OF THIS ECONOMIC
CRISIS CONTRACT.
I AFFIRM MY COMMITMENT TO YOU WITH MY VOLUNTARY SIGNATURE ON THIS ECONOMIC
CRISIS CONTRACT, WHICH IS SIGNED AS IS MANDATORY WITHOUT ANY CHANGES OR
QUALIFICATIONS, EITHER WRITTEN OR ORAL, AND WHICH I WILL MAKE EASILY AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC ON MY OFFICIAL OR CANDIDATE WEB SITE.
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Presidential Candidate Signature
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Candidate Name (Printed) and Date