Saturday, December 01, 2012

Why is the Grover Norquist Pledge Even An Issue Right Now?

Grover Norquist’s anti-tax pledge --  which stipulates that those who sign will never ever vote to raise taxes under any circumstance -- has been in the news a lot lately with regard to fiscal cliff issues, and I just don't get it. 

There is no scenario currently out there where a Republican would have to vote to increase taxes on anyone.  This is because the Bush Tax Cuts will expire at the end of the year.  Therefore, the only vote a Republican might make is a vote to cut taxes, like the vote Obama is asking for right now which would cut taxes for 98% of Americans.  A Republican could vote for that proposal without voting to raise taxes on anyone.

And with regard to fiscal cliff issues, all I can say about this comment from Michael Grunwald is amen (via Kevin Drum):
It’s really amazing to see political reporters dutifully passing along Republican complaints that President Obama’s opening offer in the fiscal cliff talks is just a recycled version of his old plan, when those same reporters spent the last year dutifully passing along Republican complaints that Obama had no plan. It’s even more amazing to see them pass along Republican outrage that Obama isn’t cutting Medicare enough, in the same matter-of-fact tone they used during the campaign to pass along Republican outrage that Obama was cutting Medicare.
I'm so very tired of these people.

1 comment:

Danimal said...

And who the fuck is Grover Norquist? How does a man with no actual power have so much power? I'm going to have Democrats sign a pledge not to..hmmmm....cut a dime from Social Security or Medicare then any time they need to do so for the betterment of the county I'll hold up the pledge wag my finger and say "eh eh eh." I can think of all sorts of reasons Republicans should tell this guy to fuck off but how about the fact that he makes them look like pussies. What are they? His bitches?