THE REBELS WITH COLD FEET

AS UNPOPULAR POINTS IN THE CONTRACT COME DUE, REPUBLICANS FIND IT HARDER AND HARDER TO HANG TOGETHER

FRANK LUNTZ, THE BABY-FACED POLLSTER who helped Newt Gingrich draft the "Contract with America" last year, looked a little frazzled as he rushed around the Capitol last Thursday night. And no wonder: all week normally loyal Republicans in both the Senate and the House had balked at key Contract with America provisions ranging from term limits for lawmakers to cuts in welfare for unwed mothers. More than 100 House Republicans declared independence from a once sacred $500-per-child tax credit, claiming the give-away was too generous to upper-income taxpayers. Stories detailing Republican "disarray" were beginning to appear in newspapers, and as Luntz...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!