Anti-Tax Crusader Grover Norquist
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-12-03/anti-tax-crusader-grover-norquist
Tax policy has never been easy -- for politicians to agree on or for Americans who are not accounting experts to understand. Now we have the so-called fiscal cliff looming over the nation, and the Obama administration and Republican leaders are at a stalemate on how to avert it. Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist has played an outsized role in the debate. Most Republican members of the current Congress have signed Norquist's anti-tax pledge. But with November elections over and the fiscal cliff just weeks away, some pledge-signers have begun to waver. Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform joins Diane to talk about one of life's two certainties: taxes.
Guests
Grover Norquist
president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen
Democrat of Maryland and ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.
Rep. Ted Yoho
Republican congressman-elect of Florida.
Video: Inside The Studio
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, talked about the so-called fiscal cliff and his no-tax pledge. Norquist said President Barack Obama's proposal to avoid the fiscal cliff is "unserious," and he proposed broadcasting the negotiations on C-SPAN. "I think he's trying to take us off the cliff and blame other people," Norquist said about Obama. About the public negotiation, Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen replied, "It would be good if Speaker [John] Boehner actually put his plan on paper like the president has so the public can see what it is." Norquist also responded to a listener's question about why he continues to refer to policies enforced under President Ronald Reagan's administration, even though more than 30 years have since passed since Reagan was president.
Comments
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Norquist evaded the question about who authorized him to be the voice of the American people. If he has not been elected by anyone outside of his organization what gives him the authority to speak for the general public?
Mr. Norquist: lower taxes is not my highest value. I am concerned about bridges, schools, and ecological sustainability. Cutting spending on endless war is the key to everything. Your point-of-view is tired, limit, and wrong.
If we don't figure out a way to increase the wages of working people and produce the educated workers our society needs we are doomed. Letting the super rich have extra money they cannot possible spend on luxury items and more houses is not a reasonable solution.
You don't speak for me.
Norquist is fighting for his position with all he has. His memory is very short. The attacks on Obama, birther etc, attacks by Republican or their PAC go on and on. Please notice that he has yet to answer your question as to who appointed him to hold feet to the fire on this bogus pledge. My representatives should be listening to me, no Norquist.
Harkening back to Reagan is like my saying whatever one is asked to do while working IN government lives in perpetuity ......nonesense.
You just mentioned him being considered one of the most powerful in government...what position, IN government does he actually hold?
Mr Norquist has yet to actually answer a question. I suppose it is possible that President Reagan asked him to work on this pledge. However that was many many years ago. Who has authorized him to do this now? He should answer the questions Diane asks him straight and stop acting like a politician.
He is living in a fantasy world that is fed by Fox! We don't want him speaking or doing anything for us! The president RAN on raising the taxes on the top 2%!!!! What the heck is he talking about???? Grover it is time to get off the stage. Que the giant hooked cane!
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Thank You! for having a voice of reason on your show. It's a nice break from the usual liberal juggernaut.
No one authorized Grover Norquist to speak on behalf of the American People.He's a self appointed king maker propped up by the wealthy's money. The fact is, he talks about cutting entitlement spending, so the bottom line is he has no problem putting hungry people into deeper poverty so that billionaires could buy a second yacht or mansion.
Diane, this guys a joke. He doesn't belong on your show. I have to change the station to find something with substance now -like Christmas music.
Hope that doesn' give me cancer too!
This guy is incredible. he worked with the Reagan Administration when the country was financially at a different place. Today is 2012 and the country is in a different place.
The elected officials work the American electorate NOT for Mr. Norquist, it is shocking this radio station continues to give this guy air time. He cites the Roman Empire and the British Empire, his understanding of history is sadly distorted... Give me a crack at this guy and I can assure you this guy is only out for his our personal gain.
I would like Mr. Norquist to give evidence that his way of governing works. We have been doing this for 30 years and my wages are stagnant while the wages of CEO's, COO's, and CFO's grows like kudzu. The evidence is that trickle down economics DOESN'T work.
It's spelt 'Democratic'; and note that the Obama administration authorised _some_ off-shore oil-drilling...moderation in the defence of Reason were no vice, and extremism in the defence of Extremism were no virtue.
Recognizing there are many who may disagree with me, I question the true patriotism of those who signed the Grover Norquist pledge. He has not been elected by the American people and yet many have pledged their allegiance to HIS cause. This gives them the "out" to making the hard decisions we need from our elected officials which, is my estimation, is an act of cowardice.
You get what you pay for. If you don't want to pay taxes which keep the highways repaired, should you complain when you dodge pothole after pothole? If the school buildings are in disrepair, should you complain if one of your children is severly injured or killed in a school building collapse?
What I'm driving at is that our current lifestyles are very expensive to maintain. It costs money, folks! So what are we to do?
Very simple. Since we don't want to pay for what we have, we have no choice other than return to the past.
My ancestors came here to the mountains of Western North Carolina about 200 years ago. To a person, they were farmers. Most everything they had, they had to make for themselves. Money was something you didn't see much of. They had to farm to produce what they ate, and hunt (with guns) for additional food. They had to make their own clothes. They had to build their own homes; not a lot of room in them either. If someone got sick, they had to be treated with home remedies. If you didn't get well, you either stayed sick, and quite often you died. If there was a doctor, he quite often lived miles from you, and you had no phones. So you either walked or rode a horse to find him. If you did find him and get him to your home, quite often you are too late.
I'm sure not too many living today heard stories about their families like this. But I'm old enough to remember people who once lived this way.
You don't want to pay for what you have today? Fine! Get ready to return to the past!
Oh! I almost forgot about old Grover. Well, when we get back to the past, people like Grover will still exist. They will be the wealthy, the ones who have a lot of poor folks (the former middle class) to work for them.
You see, the rich have always been around. And they, like Grover, want to keep everyone in their place.
Remember! You didn't like your present status! You weren't willing to pay for it.
Now do you like your new status?????
Diane we love you! Please hold this traitor to the fire!! Spending HAS gone down! SS isn't part of the deficit!!!!
I am extremely disappointed that you would give this man a forum to spew his lies.
Mr. Norquist seems to take pride in mentioning that he was aligned with the Reagan Administration. He takes credit for developing this pledge with Reagan's presidency. How does he align himself with the tax increases that the Reagan Administration did?
Two points for Mr. Norquist:
1. In my opinion, any elected representative who has taken and adheres to the Pledge is violating their oath of office and their solemn duty to evaluate every situation and make a reasoned decision taking in all the facts and circumstances to make a decision in the best interest of all their constituents.
2. Let's see some polling that asks the question, should the Norquist pledge be dumped.
Diane,
Why do you even give the person any air time. What Grover wants to do is destroy this country. He has no constructive ideas to move the country forward. He just whines that HE has to pay more tags. He is just a big time tax dodger. He really is nothing! Please please stop giving him air time.
Mr. Norquist, why not create an anti-spending pledge? Wouldn’t this serve the same purpose?
When interviewed on the Colbert Report, Grover stated he would choose to allow his Grandmother to die because of expenses cut from the elderly and health care programs, than have his taxes raised to help cover the costs. There you have it.
Courtney, that's why it's all about Grover and not about 'the American people".
I'd like to know if Mr. Norquist could compare the steps Pres. Reagan did to address deficits by raising taxes with what Pres. Obama is doing now?
He obviously has great healthcare and doesn't care about the american people!
Boy, these two guys are really gnawing away at the "Obama Care" bone.
It's not really the point, but they would rather keep attacking it rather than make the hard choices.
Mr. Norquist, is totally uninformed and it is an insult to our intelligence to have to listen him quote Ronald Regan, make up stories about Mr. Obama etc. Mr. Regan was a nice man but was not too bright and was NOT the greatest President. His taxes were much higher than they are now. So, I consider Mr. Norquist an opportunist and liar. Please get him off the air.
It totally ticks me off that certain people (like the congressmen) continue to disrespect the President by addressing him as Mr. Obama instead of PRESIDENT OBAMA.
Yes!!!!!
PLEASE tell your guest that it is NOT Obama care!!!!
Grover has repeatedly claimed Obamacare adds a trillion dollar tax increase -- didn't a neutral congressional analysis show Obamacare reducing the deficit? Where's the trillion dollar tax increase? 400 billion is not a trillion.
"two nonpartisan federal agencies [reported] that by 2019, the reform law (Obamacare) is expected to raise an additional $438 billion, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation; or $525 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office."
I am with some of the others who commented on why you are affording Norquist another opportunity to air his views. I like your show and you, Ms. Rehm, but here is a hard question for you to ask Mr. Norquist: Where does he get his income? He is a lobbyinst, isn't he? Who pays his salary? I understand that his income as a lobbyist comes from the extremely wealthy like the Kochs who don't want to be taxed, and don't want to pay higher capital gains taxes.
You must get him to answer questions posed by other commenters, too.
Otherwise why allow this person to get coverage on NPR?