Republicans Violate Oath of Office with Pledge to Grover Norquist: OWS to Demand Trial for Treason

[darth marth]

"As head of Americans for Tax Reform since 1986, Grover Norquist has transformed a single issue – preventing tax hikes – into one of the key platforms of the Republican Party. As Steve Kroft reports, his biggest coup was getting more than 270 members of Congress, and nearly all of the 2012 Republican presidential primary candidates, to sign a pledge promising never to vote to raise taxes

Grover Norquist convinced that the Republicans have no intention of raising taxes and he still has signed markers from 279 members of Congress promising they will never let it happen. If they sign it and keep it, they win the primary. They win the general."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57327816/the-pledge-grover-norquists-hold-on-the-gop/?tag=contentMain;contentBody


Congress is suppose to work for the American people, not Grover Norquist. They should be put on trial for treason immediately.


Their oath:
“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.”


As someone else on DU commented...

“I cannot believe the lack of response to this revelation

You would think the American people would be out in the streets demanding a trial for treason. How can one man dictate policy to a majority of the U.S. Congress ? Especially in a national emergency.

I seriously doubt that most Americans who vote Republican can be fully aware of the ramifications of this insanity. They may be a little disagreeable, but not many are traitors. ” Frank Jameson

[opihimoimoi]

1. At the very least....a TARRING and FEATHERS might suffice and riding a rail on the way out

[teddy51]

2. Unfortunately President Obama is in the same boat as Eric Holder for not

prosecuting Bush/Cheney for war crimes.

[xxqqqzme]

3. I think norquist should be tried

for advocating the violent over throw of the government. His wish to 'drown it' is a call for destruction. Isn't that the very definition of anarchy - no government?

[brooklynite]

5. And your evidence for "violent" would be?

[Angry Dragon]

12. Why does an overthrow of government have to be violent??

[brooklynite]

16. The original quote was...

" I think norquist should be tried for advocating the violent over throw of the government"

[Angry Dragon]

20. okay

[brooklynite]

4. Unrec'd

Sorry, but this hyperbolie has been repeated over and over in the past few months, and nobody makes a legitimate case for it. Is it irresponsible? Yes. But it is NOT treason. The pledge is not to oppose taxes, it is not to raise them further. An argument can be made (I didn't say it was a reasonable one) that the Government can operate within that financial window. Unless your charge is that Norquist's supporters are actively engaging in this policy to damage the United States (a theory I've also heard uttered), then their actions are NOT treasonous.

I'm not attempting to justify Republican policies, but words have actual meanings, and we should use them as defined.

[darth marth]

8. they sign a pledge to answer to grover Norquist, not the American people

That is a violation of the Constitution.

If they do not answer to him, he will bury them.

If they don't sign, they won't even get into office anymore.


Just how is that NOT a violation. They admit they signed it. They admit they are following it....to the obvious detriment of our country.


Look at the freaking economy, they are definitely damaging the united states with this oath to grover.

How in the hell do these BIG GOVERNMENT Norquist followers expect to pay for Homeland Security, the TSA, all the illegal spying and military state they are forcing on us?

The military industrial complex wants a new war in Iran. Who the fuck is supposed to pay for that?

What the hell is wrong with these people. They are clearly working for someone other than the American people and it is clearly harming our country. What more do you need?

[meow2u3]

14. This isn't treason; it's advocating overthrow of government

Grover Norquist, along with corporate powers, ought to be indicted, tried, and jailed for advocating the overthrow of the government.

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 115 > § 2385
Prev | Next
§ 2385. Advocating overthrow of Government

Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or
Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or
Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
As used in this section, the terms “organizes” and “organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes, and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00002385----000-.html

[pacalo]

18. Overthrowing the government is the very definition of treason.

[darth marth]

25. yes

I think that qualifies...

[darth marth]

6. I'd like to know how they consider Homeland Security, TSA, illegal spying, MIC drowning government

These people spend more money on Big Government than anyone. What the fuck are they even talking about??

[ProSense]

9. Hmmmm?

"These people spend more money on Big Government than anyone."

Are you campaigning against government?

[darth marth]

11. no I am campaigning against hypocrites

why do they keep saying they are for small government when they are spending all the money on BIG government, BIG brother crap.

The CBS hour allowed him to repeat the lie that all our spending was welfare, Social Security, medicare...when in truth SS and medicare are funded separately with FICA taxes,and fully funded so much so they have been stealing the money for wars and BIG government and don't want to pay it back.

Welfare is a tiny percentage of spending. CBS simply had to show a graph to put all these hypocrites to shame, but of course...that's not going to happen in the 'liberal' media.

And another thing, how do these hypocrites keep calling the media liberal when they give Grover Norquist an hour to push his bullshit. every sunday morning, all republican bullshit.

[ProSense]

13. There

"no I am campaigning against hypocrites... why do they keep saying they are for small government when they are spending all the money on BIG government, BIG brother crap. "

...is a huge difference between "small government" and "spending all the money on BIG government."


Republicans can reduce government and still spend excessively: It's called privatization.

[ProSense]

7. Edit:

"Congress Republicans (Violate) Oath of Office with Pledge to Grover Norquist: OWS to Demand Trial for Treason?"


"I seriously doubt that most Americans who vote Republican can be fully aware of the ramifications of this insanity."

They owe the rest of America an apology.

[darth marth]

10. oh I am there, thank you!

(will just overlook 3 dems)

And yes they do owe us an apology.

[Old and In the Way]

15. Isn't Norquist a registered foreign agent ?

When he isn't lobbying Republicans to drown the federal government, isn't he also representing the interests of some ME countries? I truly wonder where this man's allegiance truly is.

[pacalo]

17. My husband, who had never heard of this cretin named Norquist, was stunned

when he saw this last night. And, yes, it is treason when blackmail supercedes an oath to "faithfully discharge the duties of the office."

[and-justice-for-all]

19. I have no issue with y taxes being raised...

as long it is consistent across the board and we all get access to Medicare.

[badtoworse]

21. Ridiculous post

Do some research and learn what treason actually is before you post about it. This post makes you look foolish.

[BrendaBrick]

22. Extortion might be more accurate here?

Though I am not an attorney. I saw that on 60 minutes and the expressions on Steve Kroft's face was like - what? Is THIS GUY for real???

Smug, crazy, obviously megalomaniac SOB right at the end of the piece.

And who was it that said that his milk expired, his driver's license expired...why can't it be that this ridiculous agreement has expired as well?

[RZM]

23. If they want to sign that thing, that's their choice. The treason argument is nutty

They aren't pledging loyalty to Norquist personally. They are pledging not to raise the marginal rate and not to oppose deductions. Not my cup of tea, but seems to me they should have the right to do so if they want.

The pledge itself is actually quite short. Here's the PDF:

http://www.atr.org/userfiles/Congressional_pledge%281%29.pdf

I wouldn't sign it myself, but I think it's a stretch to argue that doing so makes you a traitor. It makes you a Republican who doesn't like taxes. If you want the legal definition of treason to be amended to include that, I suggest you get to work writing your rep and senators asking them to do so. There's absolutely no way you could argue in federal court that signing this pledge is treason without getting laughed out of the building.

Rather than alienating regular folks with bizarre arguments like this, maybe you should do it the old fashioned way and support candidates for Congress that haven't signed it.

[darth marth]

24. they work for us

they need to be fired

[RZM]

26. Well there are easier ways of doing that

Than coming up with thin arguments about treason.

[darth marth]

27. This is treason, but what are the easier ways exactly?

voting? :rofl:

[RZM]

29. Yes, voting

And getting out there and working for candidates that you support. Trust me, that's going to be easier than getting this treason argument to stick.

[Odin2005]

28. Norquist should be drowned in a bathtub.