Meet Tonight's Biggest Loser: Grover Norquist

[FourScore]

Tue Jan 01, 2013 at 08:02 PM PST
Meet Tonight's Biggest Loser: Grover Norquist
by Mets102

For years, Grover Norquist has used these words to keep Republicans in line and prevent any realistic discussion about taxes:

Taxpayer Protection Pledge

I, __, pledge to the taxpayers of the (_ district of the) state of __ and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.

Those days are now over. Yesterday, 40 Republican senators voted for higher taxes on the wealthy. Tonight, 85 House Republicans did exactly the same in passing the deal to end the fiscal cliff. It seems they didn't like the idea of another recession — one which they would be blamed for — after all. It also seems like they didn't feel like making government small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Now that we've seen that there are at least enough Republicans that have some degree of common sense, and are willing to vote for extra revenue, perhaps we've arrived at the day when the stranglehold of the crazy maybe, just maybe, finally began to break. It also seems that even Grover Norquist sees reality and understands just how difficult it would be to primary all those Republicans. He's now given his quasi-stamp of approval to the bill in what is certainly nothing more than damage control:

Grover Norquist

@GroverNorquist

The Bush tax cuts lapsed at midnight last night. Every R voting for Senate bill is cutting taxes and keeping his/her pledge.
1 Jan 13

One last thing I'll note. Former Speaker Dennis Hastert's old rule that a bill needs the support of the majority of the majority, which has governed GOP House majorities since his speakership is now dead. Republicans voted against this deal by a nearly two-to-one margin.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/01/1175567/-Meet-Tonight-s-Biggest-Loser-Grover-Norquist

[Recursion]

1. Allow me to also add Mr. Wonka's comments to Mr. Norquist:

[budkin]

2. He blessed the bill didn't he?

[ornotna]

3. It's my understanding

That the Hastert Rule was an informal rule anyway. Hopefully we won't be hearing about it anymore.

[TXDem72]

4. Everbody (including the top 1%) got a tax cut today

I don't believe that raising taxes on households making $500,000 a whole $2,300 (from current levels) is fiscally sound and do not understand why many progressives think it is.

[Skittles]

5. now THAT I like