WASHINGTON - The revolution lives!

At least for Rep. Steve Chabot, it does. It's been 10 years since that January day he arrived in Washington as part of the "Republican Revolution." Ten years since the Westwood Republican signed the Contract with America - the manifesto that propelled Republicans to control of the U.S. House for the first time in more than four decades.

Chabot remains one of the true believers. He still keeps, framed on his office wall, the hand-written version of the Contract, the one he kept in his pocket as he campaigned.

"It reminds me of the principles that we stood on at the time. And still do," he said. "Or, I still do."

For others, the "Contract On America," as they liked to call it, was an assault on poor people, the environment, schools, and eventually on President Clinton via impeachment.

"The overall Republican Revolution, in a nutshell, was a flash in the public relations pan," said Jon Koppenhoefer, 53, of Springfield. "What I remember most is (Newt) Gingrich's iron grip on the House, the introduction of 'pay or play' rules for lobbyists and corporations seeking legislative favor, and the single-minded rush to destroy Bill Clinton."

The GOP didn't do everything it said it would, but it did make changes - welfare reform, the child tax credit - that still affect the lives of residents.

And more significantly, the Contract built a brand for the Republicans. It's a brand that has helped them take the House, the Senate and the White House.

"Our brand identity is: limited and effective government, strong national defense and traditional values," said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., one of Chabot's fellow revolutionaries.

"What they bring to government, no matter whether it's Social Security, taxes, or education, is that less is more," said Linda Killian, author of a book on the Republican revolution. Less government, fewer regulations, less spending.

"I think it's time for another contract, actually," said Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio.

Portman chairs the Republican Leadership. "I like the idea of laying out what we're going to do and doing our best to act on it."

In early 1994, GOP leaders including Newt Gingrich of Georgia, Dick Armey of Texas and Rep. John Boehner of West Chester saw a chance to win the House.

Polls showed Americans were feeling angry at Washington: they didn't like Clinton's efforts to create a complicated new health care system, to let gays in the military, or raise some taxes.

"I think it was a very surly time in American politics," said Rep. Ted Strickland, a Democrat from Lucasville who lost his seat in the 1994 GOP landslide. (He won it back two years later.)

The GOP leaders came up with a list of 10 bills that House Republicans and Republican candidates pledged to vote on, plus a list of internal House rule changes designed to make Congress more accountable.

They did not want vague principles, Boehner said. They wanted bills, already written, that people could read. And they wanted to make sure the politicians signed it, as a contract.

"I think it was the most important political document of my time," said pollster Frank Luntz, who worked on it. "Up to that point," Luntz said, "you had platforms nobody read."

Among the items:

• Welfare reform, including work requirements and an end to lifetime welfare.

• Balancing the budget, and passing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and establishing a line-item veto.

The biggest complaint about the Republican Revolution? The Republicans have forgotten it.

The Republican-controlled Congress passed the largest entitlement since the 1960s - the Medicare prescription drug benefit.