A major chink in Grover Norquist’s armor

[ProSense]

A major chink in Grover Norquist’s armor

By Greg Sargent

A major fight erupted this morning over whether leading anti-tax jihadist Grover Norquist let slip that letting the Bush tax cuts expire wouldn’t constitute a violation of his fearsome anti tax pledge, which has been signed by virtually every GOPer in Congress. This would be a big deal, because it would reveal a major hole in Norquist’s stance, suggest GOP disarray on taxes, and suggest that there is a way for Republicans to embrace a sensible solution to the deficit without crossing the all powerful Norquist.

<...>

The White House and Dems immediately pounced, arguing that Norquist had revealed that GOP anti-tax unity is cracking under pressure. “This is a development the significance of which should not be underestimated,” Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor today. “Norquist is trying to signal to the House GOP that their no-compromise position is untenable, deteriorating, and bad for their party and the country.”

Or, as Think progress put it, Grover had revealed a “chink in the Norquistian armor.”

Norquist, unsurprisingly, quickly walked back his assertion, claiming that “any failure to extend or make permanent the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, in whole or in part, would clearly increase taxes on the American people.”

But Post reporter Karen Tumulty, who was at the interview with Norquist and took careful notes, confirms to me that he did make the controversial concession.

<...>

UPDATE: The Post has just posted audio of the exchange.

And here’s video of Chuck Schumer hammering away at Norquist on the Senate floor today.

[sharp_stick]

1. I'd like to know why

nobody has ever thought to ask the Republican leadership when they swore fealty to this Grover dude in the first place.

Hasn't pretty much every member of the Republican side of the House of Representatives signed an oath of sorts to never waver in their support of Norquist's goals?

Maybe it's time to set aside some prison space for the treasonous pricks.

[tanyev]

10. Yeah, seems like their oath to support and defend the CONSTITUTION

would supersede any oath they pledge to Grover Norquist.

[guruoo]

2. Norquist got the phone call...

Determine the source of that communication and you will know
the identity (and/or/location) of RW command and control.

[guruoo]

3. Norquist says it twice (direct audio link)

http://boos.audioboo.fm/attachments/1390602/grover-norquist-interview-july-19-2011.mp3

[global1]

4. Why Is Norquist Considered "All Powerful"? ........

Just because he got the Repugs to sign a pledge? What happens if they don't honor the pledge? What does he do to them? I saw Norquist on Tweety's the other night. He says that the pledge was to the American People and not to him. I thought the majority of the American People are ok with raising taxes on the rich.

[Dulcinea]

5. I would like to know that too.

Who died & left a no-talent dork like Grover Norquist king, anyway?

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

15. I like the Rude Pundit's pledge

-snip-

"Let's say that we came up with a pledge, one that we wanted all members of Congress to sign, one that would liberate them, but one that demanded something from them.

The pledge could go something like this:

'I, _____, pledge to the taxpayers of the ____ district of the state of ______ and to the American people that I will: ONE, kick Grover Norquist in the balls whenever he is within kicking range; and TWO, freely vote my conscience on tax raises and cuts, dependent on the reality of economic circumstance, unshackled from bullshit pledges (except this one)."


http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-tax-pledge-involving-grover.html

[Sportsguy]

16. He Must Have Pictures, Or Something

Good question though.

[madinmaryland]

6. Sorry, but Grover is getting nearly what he wants. The government is shrinking

is all the douchebag wants, and that is what is happening. Does anyone really think he gives a shit if taxes go up on anyone other than the wealthiest folks?

[progressoid]

7. Oh, it was probably just a "slip of the tongue"

or as Ronny Raygun used to say, he "misspoke"



BTW, Grover...Fuck off.

[certainot]

8. if dems were smart they would ask if the GOP leader limbaugh is also backing down - team limbaugh

deserves most of the credit for selling that meme-

if the dems were smart they would make sure to quote limbaugh on his position on that

norquist is NOT the main enforcer-

and norquist doesn't have consequences for backing down on that but for limbaugh and hannity and the other blowhards who do most of the threatening and purity enforcing to reverse on that would be harder, although if they do there is no one to call them on it.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. If anyone deserves to be hoisted by their own petard, it is Norquist.

[flamingdem]

11. Jihandist is right, what a dangerous cretin nt

[high density]

12. Who cares what this guy says?

I hear more about Norquist than I do Obama on the topic of taxes.

[reformist2]

14. Every single House Republican, sadly.

He's their guru. They will follow him no matter what.

[reformist2]

13. The way the GOP hangs on every word Norquist utters is making them look like....

I'm not sure I'm allowed to use the word that comes to mind! lol