National Tea Group: Pledge Shows GOP is 'Beginning to Listen'

FreedomWorks, a Washington, D.C.-based tea party organizer, applauded the House Republicans' "Pledge to America," saying it closely resembles the group's previous "Contract from America."

We are pleased that the Republicans were so heavily influenced by the message of the grass-roots Contract from America that their Pledge to America includes many of our contracts planks, including the top-voted idea to protect the Constitution by requiring every bill to cite constitutional authority, rejection of cap-and-trade, the imposition of meaningful spending limits, repeal of government-run health care, and extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts," FreedomWorks said in a news release this morning.

We are also pleased that they so admired the contracts model of allowing for real citizen input that they created their own website, America Speaking Out, to approximate the same function. This is evidence that Republicans are beginning to listen to the millions of ordinary Americans that are fed up with Washingtons ways.

Ryan Hecker, organizer of the Contract from America, said, The Pledge to America is a great first step in the campaign for limited government and fiscally sound economic policy.

However, Republican congressmen, senators and candidates should continue to sign the Contract from America, which boldly tackles the challenges of fundamental tax reform, passage of a balanced budget amendment with a supermajority requirement for any tax hike, and real earmark reform."

Some 300 candidates have signed on thus far, Hecker said.