The Enduring Revolution: How the Contract with America Continues to Shape the Nation

Garret's enduring revolution is a valuable work of political reporting. Far too often today, political scientists fail to provide political knowledge in great depth and detail. Rather, political scientists are usually hopefully trying to replicate the "hard sciences." The consequence is that we are beaten over the head with empirical generalizations, and bereft of any knowledge of any actual instances in which the phenomenon of interest occurred. Garret corrects this trait, in the context of programmatic policymaking. The story he tells us is a coterie of dedicated revolutionaries trying to affect a shift in national policymaking. These individuals, lead by Gingrich, Armey, and Delay, did this with perseverance, dedication, faith, and a small amount of genius. Given the characteristics they displayed, success was still not a foregone conclusion, but rather something that needed to be fought for with every ounce of effort while hoping for some luck. Garret details how the Clinton era provided such luck, and illustrates how unlikely such change will for now, and ever.

When the Republican party initiated the Contract with America, maybe they were talking about a different kind of 'contract' ?

This is a somewhat turgid but solid piece of reportage on how the Contract of America came about, its brief career on the national stage, and then how its goals seeped into the platforms of both parties. I seriously doubt that Bill Clinton wanted to pass things like welfare reform, before the Contract With America started gathering momentum. Thanks to Clinton's astounding political skill and his lack of principles, he was able to outmaneuver the flat-footed GOP, pass much of their platform with him taking the credit, and easily win re-election in '96. Gingrich was ousted, Clinton's impeachment scattered the chesspieces, and that seemed to be the end of it. But a scant eight years later, John Kerry and the other Dems were forced to pay lip service to the goals of the CWA, in order to stay competitive. Author Major Garrett avoids most polemics, instead concentrating on the political wrangling that went into reconfiguring the Republican Party post-Reagan, and the crafting of the CWA. One rather funny scene has a key backer being called to his office door late at night, still in pajamas, to sign off on a compromise draft. Again, the thorough reconstruction of the events of this time are the book's real value, and as such it can be read with profit by Americans of all political persuasions.

Major Garrett's book is a fascinating and detailed recollection of a history only 10 years old. There was a lot in this book, including some amazing memos at the end that were circulated in 1993 and 1994 between the key players. This book made me think about how prior to the Contract we never heard the left talk about tax cuts. Once an election was won by running on tax cuts, the left has adopted tax cuts as a campaign issue, though they are always much smaller than the cuts the GOP proposes. Had the 1994 election not happened, the United States would probably have become the property of the Chinese Communists who funded the Clinton campaigns (my opinion, not that of the author). The GOP stopped the Impeached President Clinton from doing away with national security and intelligence funding and who knows what else. Clinton was more concerned with getting re-elected than standing for the left wing issues he ran on, so he was willing to cave quite often when the GOP was about to deliver the death blow to Clinton. The Enduring Revolution is not a puff piece promoting the GOP. Garrett is critical of both parties and of some individuals on both sides of the aisle. Give the book a try.

Major Garrett's book has brought the Republican Revolution back into the light it so richly deserves. His coverage of the pre and and post-Reagan Movement reads more like a spy novel, with twists and turns and personality clashes, than a book of politics. This is the book to buy if you want to know why you have more money in your paycheck, the best military in the world, and ethical leadership.