What can the Republicans do to encourage reasonable people to believe such a pledge? I think we are in "Won't get fooled again" territory.

How about if every Republican representative who voted for either the TARP bailout or the stimulus package announces that he or she will not run for re-election, so the way would be clear for real limited-government representatives?

Fritz,

That works for me. My Cong Critter Don Manzullo would be good for another two years.

Mine (Dave Reichert) voted against TARP and the stimulus crap but then he went and voted for cap & trade. Sigh.

Re: Republican Re-branding -

I've believed for a long time the GOP needs to rename itself The Prosperity Party and go 100% prosperity-oriented. Try to totally minimize the arguments over religion, abortion and gun rights.

This doesn't mean proclaiming being pro-business as such, though that would be the case, it means keeping the focus on low taxes and smaller government - the things that we know cause prosperity to happen.

Religious conservatives will go along anyway, just as gays and blacks go along with the Dems. What're they going to do, hang with the liberals who think they (relig. conservs) are contemptible?

Steveg,

Gun rights are in the Constitution. They need to be protected. Esp. given what happened at Ft. Hood.

I see no reason to make the work of jihadis and criminals easier by turning the country into a gun free zone.

Otherwise your proposal has some merit.

At this point, all they need is:

Hey, at least we're not Democrats.