Grover Nordquist's Pledge to "Americans" - No New Taxes. Really?

[stopbush]

Anyone catch Grover being drilled by Tweety yesterday? Tweety kept bringing up the fact that Grover wrote the no-new-taxes pledge that all of these Rs have signed. Grover kept saying that these Rs didn't make the pledge to him, but to the American people.

Question: since when did the American people demand a "no new taxes pledge" from their representatives? Seems to me that the polls say that less than 30% of Americans require such a pledge from their representatives.

How about I come up with a "pledge to the American people" stipulating that bowling is our national pastime? Would signing such a pledge be signed in the interest of the American people? Would signing such a pledge mean that bowling had become our national pastime? Don't think so.

So why don't D politicians point out that any "no-new-taxes" pledge is NOT in the interest of the American people, that the American people never asked that such a pledge be signed to begin with, and that Rs are using the American people as an excuse to sign a pledge that in practice benefits only the top 1% of the American people?

BTW - Tweety has become quite the vocal leftist these days. Sure, he still has his moments in the village, but his show has become openly progressive since KO left MSNBC.

[meegbear]

1. Check out this pledge ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1521353

[OHdem10]

2. Higher Incomers. Never forget that when a Republican says

"Americans" "American People" they are referring to
higher Income Americans. They intensely defend the
Rich against the Tax Man.

[Urban Prairie]

3. +1

"Americans" -comprise only the wealthy, and their Judeo-Christian rightwinger/teabagger supporters.

"Anti-Americans" -Rethugs obviously excluding/ignoring everyone else, all of whom they believe do not belong here, and amongst other things, they should not have the right to register and vote, be recognized and possess documentation of US citizenship, hold office, own property, contribute to other "Anti-American" candidates' campaigns, be employed, obtain insurance coverage, receive any type of treatment at clinics or hospitals, licensed to drive or own a vehicle, be able to use America's infrastructure, or obtain legal assistance/representation in US courts of law.

Rethugs quite clearly want to legislate all of whom they consider to be "anti-Americans" by "cut, cap, and balancing" them completely out of existence.

[damntexdem]

4. Just change the word "pledge" to "threat," and you get the idea.

And that threat has been made into a clear and present danger.

[RC]

5. And when they go with Grover's pledge, that are breaking their oath of office.

"I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

Both the Senate and the House have the same oath.

Update:
(There are even links to who signed it)

http://www.atr.org/taxpayer-protection-pledge

In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. While ATR has the role of promoting and monitoring the Pledge, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is actually made to a candidate's constituents, who are entitled to know where candidates stand before sending them to the capitol. Since the Pledge is a prerequisite for many voters, it is considered binding as long as an individual holds the office for which he or she signed the Pledge.

Since its rollout with the endorsement of President Reagan in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts.

Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,100 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge. Statehouse tax-and-spend interests have to contend with Pledge signers in every state.

[reformist2]

6. Here's the Democrats dilemma - Do we call their bluff, or not?

We may want to force the Republicans into voting for a tax increase, but what if they don't?

It's very much akin to a hostage situation: The hostage taker is obviously at fault, but it's the cops' job to do whatever is necessary to make sure the hostage is unharmed.