Cord Byrd: “I call the contract misnamed because so many Senators on both sides of the aisle claim never to have signed it, and many…”

“I call the contract misnamed because so many Senators on both sides of the aisle claim never to have signed it, and many Americans have no idea what it is, much less any idea of its various provisions. The term ``contract'' is usually reserved for binding documents which two or more parties have agreed to and signed. But, not so with this so-called contract with America. It is simply the wish list of the extreme faction of one political party, packaged to sell better by giving it the legitimacy of the word ``contract.'' It is clever, essentially meaningless ad-man lingo, probably conjured up by some pollster. But, in any event, the Nation will, no doubt--at least part of the Nation--be glued to the TV sets on Friday evening to hear the 100-day report on the progress of the so-called contract, as promised. But everything about this made-for-TV drama will be somewhat of a fantasy. First, as I have already indicated, the contract is merely a made-up device. Second, the so-called 100-day report is not occurring after 100 days.”