In a draft version of The Pledge that was being passed around to reporters before the official release, the document properties list "Wild, Brian" as the "Author." A GOP source said that Wild -- who is on House Minority Leader John Boehner's payroll -- did help author the governing platform that the party is unveiling on Thursday. Another aide said that as the executive director of the Republican leadership group American Speaking Out, Wild's tasks were more on the administrative side of the operations.
Until early this year, Wild was a fairly active lobbyist on behalf of the firm the Nickles Group, the lobbying shop set up by the former Republican Senator from Oklahoma, Don Nickles. During his five years at the firm, Wild, among others, was paid $740,000 in lobbying contracts from AIG, the former insurance company at the heart of the financial collapse; $800,000 from energy giant Andarko Petroleum; more than $1.1 million from Comcast, more than $1.3 million from Exxon Mobil; and $625,000 from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc.
Gee, ain't that a friggin interesting factoid m'dear reader? And isn't it ironic that he works for John Boehner, the fake-tan man who probably farts orange and is one of the Deans of Wingnut University aka Nutter U.
Another good read is here from CAP (Center for American Progress) on the Rethugs 'pledge'. An excerpt for your entertainment, or if you possibly need a reason to toss back a few drinks:
“Pledge to America” Not as Fiscally Responsible as It Claims-Core Policies Would Increase the Federal Deficit and Debt
Republicans in Congress released “Pledge to America” today, a plan they characterize as laying out a “new governing agenda.” Integral to that plan is a new commitment to “fiscal responsibility.” Our analysis, however, shows that implementing the plan’s proposals would increase the federal budget deficit and accelerate growth in federal debt.
The “Pledge to America” budget would mean $11.1 trillion in deficits over the next 10 years. By 2020, the federal budget deficit would be 6.3 percent of gross domestic product, the federal debt would exceed 93 percent of GDP, and interest payments on the debt would be more than $1 trillion a year. The budget deficit would be about $200 billion larger in 2020 under the “Pledge to America” plan than it would be under President Barack Obama’s budget, and over the next 10 years deficits would be $1.5 trillion higher than under the president’s budget.
The substantial increase in deficits under the “Pledge to America” budget are due to the significant tax cuts that come from extending all expiring tax provisions and the implementation of several new tax cuts. Altogether, tax revenues under the “Pledge to America” plan would average 16.7 percent of GDP. During the last period the federal government ran balanced budgets revenues averaged 20 percent of GDP.
The CAP article lays out all the bogus bullshit the Rethugs are trying hard to pass off on the American voters. The GOP must really believe we are all as dumb as Sarah Palin.
And of course it contains a repeal of the health care reform act, known as the Affordable Care Act, Obama's congress passed this year...without an ounce of Rethug support I might add.
So, check out the Cap piece for ammo when your rightwing nutter friends or relatives try to tell you just how fucking great this piece of shit really is.
