Sen. John McCain is putting together a major economic plan that will be structured, in some ways, off of Newt Gingrich's famous Contract With America.

In an email obtained by the Huffington Post, the Arizona Republican's chief of staff, Marc Buse, asked an outside adviser for help with a "ten principles" program that the senator could use as a "definitive" platform.

"We are looking for some guidance on a definitive plan (aka contract with america style) on the economy...principles," writes Buse. "Ten principles that JSM could point to on what MUST BE DONE to address the problems our nation faces."

Buse doesn't offer specific suggestions of his own, save "NO TAX INCREASES."

The man who said "the fundamentals of the economy are good" at the very moment the meltdown was reaching critical mass (and put the final nail in his campaign coffin) is going to become the voice of the Republican economic message? Wow, they really are desperate.

And keep in mind that the Contract On America was a media creation (just as John McCain and Newtie Gingrich are media creations) which was introduced in the final six weeks of an election that was already polling heavily for the Republicans. Nonetheless, Newtie and the gang tried to claim the election was a validation of their silly little manifesto and for years we had to put up with the media touting it as if it had been carved in granite on Mt Sinai. I don't think it's going to work this time --- the "angry white male" is now the "scared witless American" and their silly crap just isn't relevant this time.

I get the feeling that McCain is stung by the fact that everyone in the world knows he's an economic moron. Unfortunately for the Republicans, every time he opens his mouth on the subject he reminds everyone in the country just how close they came to electing someone who doesn't even know how many houses he owns, much less how to fix the thorniest economic problem in modern memory.

Bring it on St John. Get out front on the economy. It only helps the ball team.

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