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November 27, 2006

Republicans Who Won't Play Grover's Game

Grover Norquist has sent out a mass email to his supporters listing all of the Republican Senators and Congressmen who have not signed his "Taxpayer Protection Pledge." The pledge states: "I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____ district of the State of _________ and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes." Now, I'm no fan of new taxes or increased taxes, so why would I make an issue of this? Because while those who sign the pledge think they are simply establishing their own conservative credentials, in fact, by signing it they are really serving to boost the reputation of Grover Norquist, who is deeply mired in the corruption that has, of late, consumed the Republican Party in Washington. As John Cassidy, one of the country's leading business journalists, once told The New Yorker, "The thing that made [Norquist's] career was the tax pledge."

You might want to know who the "delinquent" non-pledge-signing Republicans are, so I shall share the list with you, straight from Norquist's email:

Senate: Richard Lugar (Ind.); Charles Grassley (Iowa); Olympia Snowe (Maine); Susan Collins (Maine); Thad Cochran (Miss.); Pete Domenici (N.Mex.); George Voinovich (Ohio)

House: Christopher Shays (Conn.); Michael Castle (Del.); Steve Buyer (Ind.); Harold Rogers (Ken.); Vernon Ehlers (Mich.); Ralph Regula (Ohio); Todd Russell Platts (Pa.); Frank Wolf (Va.)

From a practical point of view, the pledge hogties legislators and congressmen, preventing them from addressing needs appropriately. For instance, Hawaiian legislators ran afoul of the pledge when they extended the bottle tax to containers with a volume of 68 oz. or less. One would imagine that if Oregon legislators decided it was high time to increase the bottle deposit (a real necessity if the system is to continue to work), Norquist would brand them as delinquents or "enemies of the taxpayers," too.

Speaking of "Enemies of the Taxpayers," some of those Norquist "shamed" in 2006 include NJ Congressman Robert Menendez because he voted against extending the capital gains and dividend tax cut and NJ gubernatorial candidate Senator Jon Corzine because while a U.S. Senator he refused to vote for tax cuts that would only benefit the wealthy.

It's nice to see Norquist lay his philosophy and priorities out there so clearly.

Posted by Becky at November 27, 2006 11:09 AM