Contract with America at 10 Years

Radley Balko has some things to say about how the Republicans have (or more precisely, have not) stuck to the principles they promoted ten years ago in the Contract with America. Here's a prime example:

Since the Republican takeover, real growth in federal outlays for the Department of Education have increased by 101%; Labor by 83%; HHS by 81%; and Commerce by 82%. All were departments Republicans had discussed eliminating entirely.

Yep, those evil Republicans who want to cut education and social spending. Such is the quandary of a small-government conservative these days; vote for the guy who's helped to double the size of the Dept. of Education, or vote for the guy who says that doubling wasn't enough.