[1] The Pledge to America was written by Rep. Kevin McCarthy's staffer Brian Wild at the behest of House Republican leaders.
[3] The pledge criticized the Obama administration, stating that "An arrogant and out-of-touch government of self-appointed elites makes decisions, issues mandates, and enacts laws without accepting or requesting the input of the many".
[6] Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh defended the Pledge to America, arguing, "There's nothing crazy about any of this".
'"[12] Other commentators agreed that "the numbers don't remotely add up"[13] and that the Pledge "should be read as a plan to explode debt through the ceiling".
[18][19] The Republicans made a net gain of 63 seats from Democrats and retook control of the chamber which they lost in the 2006 midterm elections.