“A New Contract With America” By Robby Starbuck
Photo Credit: Robby Starbuck – Facebook / Public Domain
By Robby Starbuck –
Six weeks before the 1994 Congressional election, Republicans did something groundbreaking by introducing what we all know now as The Contract With America. Written and championed by Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey, The Contract With America led to the Republican Party flipping both chambers of Congress and taking a decisive majority. While that majority win was sweet, what really left a lasting impression is the way the Contract With America made people feel. The Contract With America made it explicitly clear what our goals were as a party in an era where it felt like politicians said whatever they needed to say in front of each audience to gain their support. In my experience normal everyday Americans loathe this kind of duplicitous power hungry politician. This revolutionary contract gave the people a document that was non-negotiable to hold their elected representatives accountable to. You either pledged to act on these ideals or you had to suffer the consequences of not acting.
On the campaign trail this year I’ve heard repeatedly from dejected voters in Tennessee who are tired of feeling backstabbed by members of Congress, “Robby, how do I know if a candidate is the real deal?” A New Contract With America is the answer. It’ll give the American people something to use as a barometer of their Representatives dedication to Making America GREAT Again. For families across America many of our worries are the same. It goes beyond party lines. People are worried about our grocery bills being higher than ever, our gas tank sucking too much money from our wallets, our kids getting the world class education that they deserve, the erosion of our freedoms and safety in our communities. A contract with America should clearly tackle the issues that affect our daily lives. Without further delay, this is what I propose as our New Contract With America so that we can get back to the issues that matter to everyday Americans.
Pass Clean Bills
Without this promise, everything below becomes null and void. The people are tired of bloated 2,000 page bills that no member of Congress reads. I don’t know about you but I’m tired of relying on unelected aides to overview legislation that will change our lives and our country. This practice is why we’re living through a historic inflation crisis. Lawmakers taking the word of aides and lawyers is no substitute for them reading and intimately knowing the bills they’re voting on. These 2,000 page bills were designed to be arduous and messy in order to conceal the bloat inside of them. We need accountability tied to our bills again and that’s going to come as a product of THE PEOPLE knowing everything inside of them.
Removing pork and favors from deals will bring us to a new era of accountability where lawmakers need to explain WHY they didn’t vote for a specific clean bill.
Revolutionize the Education System
Throughout the nightmare of COVID, no single issue has had it’s failures more exposed than our education system. This isn’t the fault of teachers, it’s the fault of a system of bad incentivizes and one-size-fits-all approaches that have led to collective failure. The media is trained to attack any reform in education by framing it as if it’s an attack on “Heroic teachers”… but this isn’t about them, it’s about the outcomes for kids. The failures we’ve seen are a product of the state stealing authority that rightfully belongs to parents. The revolution in education that we need is about what’s best for our children and our grandchildren. We pledge to pass a School Choice bill that will make school choice the law of the land and deliver badly needed choice to parents. Funding must be tied to the child with no strings attached by the government and not to the schools in the parents zip code. Tying it to zip codes has resulted in failing schools in areas that need to be uplifted the most. We recognize at the end of the day that it’s YOUR tax dollars funding education so YOU should choose what school best aligns with the needs of YOUR child. We recognize that every child is NOT the same and your unique child deserves the best environment for THEIR needs. The effects of this bill will immediately pressure public schools to perform better and skyrocket our outcomes in education. Our kids deserve to have the best education in the world. We plan to deliver it.
We pledge to ban the use of Critical Race Theory in schools that take government funds because it violates our existing anti-discrimination laws. Nothing is more toxic to children than teaching them that one group of them are oppressors and another is oppressed simply due to the color of their skin. Teaching them to judge one another on the color of their skin is a direct injustice that attacks the very heart of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that our children be judged by the content of their character and NOT by the color of their skin. We pledge to form this revolution in education with MLK Jr’s message about character at the heart of what we do. We also pledge to support Senator Josh Hawley’s Love America Act to instill a sense of pride and national identity in school again. America and our economy has lifted more people out of poverty than any system before us. We should take pride in that and teach our children to do the same as we work toward a future where we innovate beyond our wildest imaginations.
We also pledge to work toward ending government involvement in student loans. Ever since the government got involved in student loans, the major universities have profited wildly by selling worthless degrees for six figures because our government doesn’t act with the fiduciary duty necessary to make wise choices. In reality, no sane bank would sign off on $300,000 in debt to get a gender studies degree. The US government doesn’t act with the same financial prudence when making these decisions. The best answer is to get the federal government out of the student loan business while freezing interest on previous student loans to speed up the process of paying back these loans in an effort to fully shutter these programs.
Lastly, we pledge to work towards closing the federal Department of Education. We recognize that education should be managed locally, not by bureaucrats in Washington D.C. or by politically motivated teachers unions. One size does not fit all but on a federal basis all that the government offers is a one size fits all approach. Since the creation of the Department of Education we’ve seen our standing in the world fall to historic lows when it comes to education. Education thrives when parents are involved and localities make the calls about what works best in their areas. Having a second cook in the kitchen only adds to the bureaucracy that slows down the best tools getting to our children.
Restore Belief & Integrity in our Elections
We pledge to address election integrity via 3 main points: Pass Voter ID laws in every state that we can, increase the federal consequences for fraud and ban “Zuckerbucks.”
We pledge to ensure Voter ID’s are accessible to all. Polling shows that American minorities like myself overwhelmingly support the use of Voter ID despite what leading Democrat politicians tell the media. Further, Democrat politicians have zero standing on this issue after forcing vaccine passports in order to eat in many of the cities that they control. Just look at a place like Washington D.C. where 50% of the Black residents aren’t able to eat inside of restaurants now because of vaccine passport requirements forced by elected Democrats. The same thing is happening in New York, Chicago and other cities.
We also pledge to make coordinated voter fraud a federal crime punishable by 15 years in prison. Coordinated voter fraud is not someone making a mistake by unknowingly voting illegally while on parole. Coordinated voter fraud describes wide scale coordinated fraud so despite what some detractors may try to say, this bill would not result in throwing people in prison over an individual mistake. This disincentive is a strong one to stop anyone who’s thinking of coordinating to defraud our elections.
The third part of our promise here is to ban the method used by Mark Zuckerburg in the 2020 election which was used to assist one party through a method that was supposed to be non-partisan.
Protect & Preserve Personal Medical Freedom
We pledge to enshrine in law that YOU have the sole authority to decide what medical treatments or mitigation methods are used on your body as an individual without fear of consequence from your employer or the government. The firing of our healthcare heroes after they cared for critical COVID patients for over a year because they didn’t want to take or couldn’t take a vaccine is a tragedy that must never be duplicated. America has a foundational promise of FREEDOM and we will live up to that promise by making it law so that this nightmare of discrimination and segregation never happens again. We pledge to also enshrine in law that the government cannot make blanket mandates ever again. The government can make recommendations but we recognize that individual liberty is paramount in our identity as a nation. We also pledge that you have a right to not die alone. No one should be deprived of seeing their loved ones when they’re facing death. It’s an inhumane violation of their human rights. We also pledge to make the mutilation of minors genitals in the process of a sex transition a federal crime along with the use of chemical agents that intentionally disturb or suppress their natural development. Some may say, “doesn’t that violate their freedom to ban this?” It’s a good question but no it’s actually ripping away their freedom to make a decision as a fully formed adult with the information necessary to consent to such a dramatic, life altering and irreversible change with serious medical consequences. In adulthood they have the liberty to decide what they want in America but we also pledge to ban the use of taxpayer funds to fund sex transitions.
Create an Internet Bill of Rights
We recognize the threat posed by Big Tech in our national discourse and our elections. We recognize that social media has become the modern public square. We recognize that ideological discrimination has the power to influence thoughts, behaviors, attitudes and outcomes based on what information is made available. This kind of discrimination can and will flip elections and culture through censorship and biased algorithms. The free flow of information and freedom of the press is what differentiates America from dictatorships. Having these things stripped from the people by Big Tech destroys the Democratic process. Just look at how Big Tech colluded to hide the NYPost story about Hunter Biden during the 2020 election by claiming it was disinformation only for the American people to find out AFTER the election that it was entirely factual. This kind of intervention for political reasons can never happen again. We pledge to fix this problem by banning ideological discrimination by these companies. We pledge to work toward making these companies public utilities if they don’t comply with these new rules and continue to ban people from the public square. We see social media the same way we see cell phones. Cell phone companies are not allowed to spy on your phone call, jump on your call and tell you that they don’t like your opinion so you’re now banned from using phones. We’ll treat Big Tech a similar way to ensure they can’t digitally unperson Americans over their political views.
Our founders understood something about the importance of free expression: Good ideas will overcome bad ideas when both are tested. Bad ideas will fall when they face scrutiny. Censoring ideas is dangerous and unAmerican. Censorship is a tool for dictatorships and fascists. We recognize that free speech is necessary for freedom to survive. We also stand for the individual’s right to protect their dignity and reputation so we pledge to give individuals the ability to sue media outlets that write something that’s untrue and results in attacks on their good name. Far too many in media have gotten away with blatant lies told for partisan reasons that have poisoned the political discourse in this country. It’s cost people their income, livelihoods, elections, access to opportunities and their education. These types of false attacks have highlighted the rise of a China-style social credit system has that has the power to destroy lives. These types of social credit systems can never be allowed in America.
Many times the detrimental consequences of this growing system are bolstered by so called ‘fact checks’ that social media companies use but have recently been forced to admit in court are only “opinions.” Those companies getting it wrong can still result in the loss of your access to social media or put you on the receiving end of what’s intended to be a virtual public spanking to dissuade people from speaking freely again. These social media bans don’t only steal your voice in the public square but they result in people losing access to life saving information like real time updates from the fire department during a wildfire or critical updates during a tornado watch. We pledge to ban the use of social credit scores in all segments of America and stop Big Tech from acting as judge, jury and executioner of our voices online. The system of control we see being built may belong in Communist dictatorships like China but they will never belong in the United States of America.
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Parental Bill of Rights
We recognize that parental rights are under attack in states run by Democrat politicians all over the country. We pledge to enact in law the following reforms to make it clear that parents are responsible for making decisions for their children, not the federal government: A Parent’s Right To Know will enshrine in law that parent’s must be made aware of trainings or tools their tax dollars fund so that they can act as a check on the possible partisan use of their hard earned money and they must be made aware of any and all potential threats to safety reported to schools or suspected by schools. Parents must have the right to check all school data related to their child at any time and they must consent to any and all data collection. Parents must always have access to public school curriculums in their entirety within 5 days of making a request. Parent’s must have the right to be heard without censorship or discrimination at school board meetings. Videos of parents having their mics turned off by wannabe Kings and Queens of the local school board must end. Parents of all ideological backgrounds have a right to have their grievances heard. Parents must have the ability to sue the government in order to enforce these rights and any school district who breaks these laws must face severe consequences. We will also enshrine in law that parents or legal guardians have a right to know medical information about their child. We already see in some states that schools are hiding the fact they’re facilitating children in transitioning their sex without parental knowledge or consent. Schools and doctors must no longer be allowed to conceal critical medical information or treatments from parents. What we seek is a new era of transparency in schools where the parents are empowered to make the best decisions for their children.
Rebuild Broken Rural Parts of America
We recognize that certain areas in America have been forgotten and fallen into disrepair. We recognize that we should have the best infrastructure in the world. We recognize that inflation is destroying the budgets of families across America. We also recognize that the future of humanity involves outer space. We pledge to do the following: We will prioritize investment in rural America to bring broadband, roads and other critical infrastructure to rural America. We will no longer allow our rural areas of America to be forgotten. We will fund necessary infrastructure to improve our supply chain while making every attempt to push the executive branch to make better decisions when it comes to our supply chain and economic policy so that we can alleviate the inflation hitting families the hardest. We will invest in strategic areas that will lead us toward our future as a spacefaring civilization to ensure that the United States of America dominates in the race to space and is the home of the top innovation in this space. We will be forward thinking in our strategies to drive innovation, jobs and growth to our shores while being fiscally responsible with the future of our children and grandchildren in mind. Part of rebuilding America and the following contract point to make America safe again means we must end our dependance on China. That begins by banning China from owning US farmland and forcing them to sell the massive amount of farmland they’ve bought up in recent years. You can’t allow your rivals to own your food supply. We similarly pledge to pressure the executive branch to use the Defense Production Act to force Pharmaceutical companies to produce critical pharmaceuticals within the United States. Just like the farmland issue, allowing this to continue the way it is now is a tremendous national security threat.
Make America Safe Again
We recognize that crime is skyrocketing all over the country in Democrat run cities. We have a duty to do what we can to intervene and stop the rampant crime. We pledge to do our duty and investigate the causes and potential solutions that we can offer to make America safe again. A historic 30% national rise in murder is inexcusable and unacceptable. We pledge to TAKE ACTION and hold corrupt Marxist prosecutors accountable who are releasing criminals onto our streets. The #1 cause of death among 18-45 year olds isn’t COVID or Cancer — it’s fentanyl overdoses. We pledge to attack this scourge on our country with the ferocity of every tool at our disposal. We pledge to create new harsher consequences for the trafficking and sale of drugs containing Fentanyl. We pledge to use tools at our disposal to hold China and Mexican cartels responsible. We pledge to prioritize community intervention programs to fight addiction and get Americans on the path to a dignified life with a good paying job. We pledge to create a national awareness campaign to help people identify the risks posed by drugs that secretly contain deadly doses of Fentanyl and establish outreach tools that people can use to get help. We recognize that putting an individual drug addict with hardened violent criminals is a recipe for disaster and we will work toward a future where intervention programs to fight addiction become the norm. The cost and success rate of treatment programs make it a no-brainer versus the cost of jail and the percentage who go on to reoffend.
Fight to End Illegal Immigration
The crisis in illegal immigration we face is a human tragedy. More children have been trafficked under the Biden Administration’s watch at our Southern Border than ever before in history. By the time you read this nearly 2 million illegal immigrants have entered our country since Joe Biden took office. 122,000+ have been unaccompanied minors (that we know of). They’ve lost 1/3rd of them. How many are trafficking victims now? We’ll never know. Allowing this to become the status quo is akin to agreeing to the assisted suicide of our nation. I say this myself as a product of LEGAL immigration. Without America as a refuge for my family as they fled communism in Cuba, my own kids wouldn’t be alive today. The reason our immigration policies are such a failure is not only a lack of enforcement but also a lack of incentives that pass the common sense test. Here’s what the Citizenship Protection Act will say: “If you are apprehended after illegally entering the United States of America, you will NEVER be able to become a citizen of the United States of America and you will NEVER be able to collect benefits of any kind in the United States of America.” This simple change will shift the incentives to incentives those who want to ultimately come to America to not burn their only opportunity to do so. We also pledge to give our border patrol agents more resources, more agents, more tools and we pledge to finish wall construction at our southern border. We’ll prioritize ending both human and drug trafficking. Having visited the border this year, I saw with my own eyes how migrants cross illegally at those entry points where the wall construction was ended by the Biden Administration. It’s shameful that I’ve been to the border more times than Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (The so-called “border czar) combined! Since Biden took over we’ve seen dangerous individuals from nearly every country on earth come through our southern border. Innocent Americans have been killed and children have been raped because of this betrayal of our country. We can’t allow it to continue. We also pledge to do everything in our power to force the Federal government to designate drug cartels as the terrorist organizations they are. Doing this frees up new ways to fight these groups who are attacking America through trafficking, fentanyl and a variety of violent crimes.
Prioritize America First
We recognize the threat posed to America by China. We recognize the economic damage done to America by the spread of COVID from China to the world. We recognize the damage that China did by not warning the world earlier. China openly seeks to dominate the United States of America. It’s not a secret and yet under our Christmas trees all over America this year people opened gifts stamped “MADE IN CHINA.” This can’t continue if we want to control our future and have a nation that can’t be threatened by anyone. We’ll draft and pass a bill that holds China accountable for everything they’ve done to attack our country and incentivizes putting America FIRST again.
We pledge no more corporate bailouts with your hard earned tax dollars. As part of the Critical Race Theory bill that was outlined in our Revolution in Education promise, we will include corporations that take government funds to stop CRT from infecting the workplace. Put very simply, we’ll ban the implementation or use of Critical Race Theory in training or any other form by corporations who take taxpayer dollars. This training is discriminatory and wrong. Just look at recent examples, like Coca Cola’s “be less white” training. We pledge to pass ZERO multi-trillion dollar bills that supercharge inflation and make it difficult for American families to put food on the table. We recognize that the bureaucracy in Washington D.C. has become the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th branch of government. It was never intended to be this way. We recognize that the problem lies in the fact that these departments all sit in Washington D.C. entirely divorced from the vast majority of the people they’re supposed to serve. We pledge to begin the process of moving these departments out of D.C. and starting anew with fresh staffing in new areas of the country to better reflect the ideological diversity of our nation.
We recognize the pain and suffering caused by senseless wars and pledge to stand opposed to more senseless wars. We pledge to build a strong defense that will protect us in the case we’re ever threatened but we won’t go looking to start endless wars around the world. We recognize that it took trillions of dollars, decades and countless lives to deliver Afghanistan from being under the control of the Taliban to under the control of the Taliban yet again. We pledge to never make these nation building mistakes again.
Above all else we pledge to put AMERICA FIRST in everything we do! It’s our dependence on others that has made us weak. It’s why you’re paying record amounts for gas this week. We pledge to bring President Trump’s economy back and the lower gas prices that went along with it.
It’s our independence and self sustaining abilities that will make us strong again if we embrace them.
These 10 critical promises are what you can expect me to work toward when you vote Robby Starbuck for Congress in 2022. The Tennessee voters I know demand that I do everything in my power to get these things done.
In proposing this New Contract With America, I challenge Republican Incumbents and others running for public office to agree to this contract as well, and sign it to show THE PEOPLE your commitment. I also challenge THE PEOPLE to sign it, to show support for the principles laid out in this Contract, and to tell Candidates YOU will vote for them AND you will hold them accountable to it.
Let’s make this the starting point for what everyone knows they’re going to get when they vote Republican in 2022.
Sign the contract HERE.
