Bill Moyers Essay: The Truth Behind Grover Norquist’s Pledge

[G_j]

http://billmoyers.com/segment/bill-moyers-essay-the-truth-behind-grover-norquists-pledge/

Bill Moyers Essay: The Truth Behind Grover Norquist’s Pledge

December 7, 2012

In an original broadcast essay, Bill says there’s more to Grover Norquist’s anti-tax pledge than ideology or principle — it’s also about Norquist’s efforts keep taxes low for his donor base of billionaires.
~~~

BILL MOYERS: Don’t you wonder just who is this Grover Norquist who has such a maniacal hold on the Republican Party? Mickey Edwards isn’t the only conservative who would like to see the party free itself from his grip. Writing in the "Financial Times" last week, the conservative journalist Christopher Caldwell describes the Norquist Pledge as a “partisan document,” “a ratchet driving taxes down to unsustainable levels,” and it “symbolizes a political system short on legitimacy.” Norquist claims the pledge is something politicians make to their constituents, not to him. But Caldwell wonders “who authorized him to collect politicians’ signatures on their constituents’ behalf.”

Even this misses the main point. Norquist’s efforts – keep taxes low for his donor base, billionaires like the Koch brothers and the plutocrats secretly clustered around Norquist’s comrade, Karl Rove. This past election, Norquist’s group, Americans for Tax Reform, spent nearly $16 million to support his favored candidates; that’s according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Where did that money come from, and what did it buy? Back in the 1990’s it was the tobacco industry backing Norquist’s fight against cigarette taxes; now it’s the pharmaceutical companies, among others. Not long ago, this same Grover Norquist was using his organization to launder money for the notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff. How about that for tax reform!

Check it out yourself in the documentary "Capitol Crimes" on our website BillMoyers.com. You’ll see the story of how the man who has the Republican Party under his thumb came to Washington to start a revolution and wound up running a racket. Now he’s the proxy for the powerful interest groups that finance him. So, not only does the Norquist Pledge symbolize a "political system short on legitimacy," as Christopher Caldwell wrote, it isn’t even about principle or ideology. Conservatism my foot, it’s all about the money.

[malaise]

1. It's always about the money

http://billmoyers.com/segment/bill-moyers-essay-the-truth-behind-grover-norquists-pledge/

K & R

[adirondacker]

2. Grover belongs in the pen for life. No parole. N/T

[BillStein]

10. can you picture grover in the pen?

"Whoops! I dropped the soap AGAIN"

[Octafish]

3. Grover appeared in Michigan and the next day Gov Snyder reversed course on Right-To-Work.

Amazing.

Thank you for the heads-up on Moyers' "Capitol Crimes," G_j.

May Grover soon see the inside of the prison cell he so richly deserves.

[G_j]

4. I didn't know that

that is simply terrifying

[freshwest]

8. The Koches aren't hiding anymore, neither are the Roves and Nordquists of the country afraid.

The illusion of freedom [in America] will continue as long as it’s profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater. ~ Frank Zappa

[Octafish]

13. The skinny says it was a question of paying forward.

Sort of dancing with the ones who bought you. Er, brought you. To the dance.

[kiranon]

5. Time to end the no negotiation on prices of drugs

by Medicare. End Grover Norquist's hold on Republicans by making sure his backers pay their fair share and then some to make up for all they did not pay in the past.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, G_j.

[lastlib]

7. A Must-Read!!

Wow--it'll knock yer socks off! Thank you, Bill Moyers!

[jsr]

9. "Capitol Crimes" is worth watching

[oasis]

11. Kick it

[barbtries]

12. thanks for posting

bookmarking so i can watch the movie later.

[Roland99]

14. Shame Bill Moyers isn't as popular as the candy-coated shills of M$M

[PotatoChip]

15. Marking for later.

My thanks to the OP and everyone who provided links.