It is just unconscionable what Congress members are doing to this country. The Republicans are thwarting any effort to come to an agreement on debt reduction because it goes against their number one agenda which is to get Obama out if the White House. They blame the President for massive spending and say cuts should come before tax increases. Democrats say the Republicans are not representing the 99% and that the rich are just getting richer and need to pay more of their fair share. They both are willing to sacrifice the economic condition of this country. The Republicans, however, have a Svengali in their midst that is pulling their strings.
I watched Grover Norquist Sunday night on 60 Minutes and my thought was here is another man with narcissistic behavior traits who is almost evil in his glee over his control of Republicans in Congress. He is the driving force in pushing the Republican Party toward a rigid position of opposing any tax increase, of any kind, at any time. The 60 Minutes episode claimed that Norquist has been responsible for rewriting the dogma of the Republican Party. He wants to reduce the size of government to the size of a bathtub and then drown it. What is wrong with these elected Republicans who willingly allow this man to control who they are and what they stand for?
When you do something for fear of losing an election it means compromising your integrity and personal character. It is shameful that Norquist has never held elective office and yet his stranglehold on power and pulling the strings of the Republican party is unprecedented . They say there are cracks in his powerful intimidation but it takes courage to stand up to powerful bullies. There are plenty of cowards who are willing to sell their souls to win an election, it seems. His pledge has a strangle hold on Republicans and it is strangling Congress and its ability to come to a compromise on debt reduction.
When you compromise your principles by letting someone else control who you are and what you think or believe in then you are no longer effective as a leader or believable. Signing a pledge under a threat of being unseated in an election is pure bribery and intimidation.
It was shocking to watch Norquist's glee over how much power he has over the Republicans
in Congress. I wonder how they all feel about being his bitch? I wonder how Speaker Boehner feels about some unelected guy who actually controls the men and women of his party in Congress? Oh, that's right, Speaker Boehner signed the pledge. So did Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 270 members of Congress and all of the Republican Presidental candidates except Jon Huntsman. He likes to play his little game where he says his pledge of no tax increase is not a pledge to him but to America and their constituants but he says it with the smile of a deceiver while he gleefully talks about the power he wields in the country.
However, the most shocking thing he said in that interview Sunday night was when he talked about his role as simply protecting the Republican brand just as Coca-Cola ensures the quality of its signature product:
Norquist: 'Cause let's say you take that Coke bottle home, and you get home, and you're two thirds of the way through the Coke bottle. And you look down at what's left in your Coke bottle is a rat head there. You wonder whether you'd buy Coke ever again. You go on TV, and you show 'em the rat head in the Coke bottle. You call your friends, and tell them about it. And Coke's in trouble.
Republicans who vote for a tax increase are rat heads in a Coke bottle. They damage the brand for everyone else.
It takes a rat to know a rat.
The Republicans have had a great success recently by convincing people to be against their best interest. People who make little or nothing are against a Tax Increase that only the Very Wealthy would pay. Why? They Vote Republican, they are against Gun Control, Abortion, Gay Rights and Peace in the World. Why? It is inexplicable.
ReplyDeleteThe Wealthy have kept control of the Discussion through well spent Money.
Ps. Norquist is not the only Problem. He is a symptom. Great Post. Very good.
ReplyDeleteThe rat in the coke bottle is a reference to the myriad promises made by politicians to control spending when they want to raise the debt ceiling or taxes just this one time, just this one more time. Past record is those promises are long forgotten and the debt continues to climb. In that context, it truly is a rat and we have been uncovering that rat for far too long. Now we’ve reached the point that the only means of changing our destiny is to alter entitlement programs that will have devastating effect. Grover does come across as a horny toad; but, I have to respect the intent of his organization. As Greece, Italy and France are learning, we cannot continue to spend and tax our way to prosperity
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous I am against tax increases prior to biting the bullet and revisiting the Country's expenditures. I am against Gun Control, I am pro-choice and I am in favor of rights for everyone period. And most certainly I favor peace in the world. The vast majority of those who vote Republican are not knuckle dragging imbeciles.
ReplyDeleteNo, but they have been able to attract those that are to vote with them. Oh, and by the way, without gun control, just how do you propose to get a handle on violent crime?
ReplyDeleteOh, and Everyone is in Favor of World Peace, it is just that if you look around the World, whose armed forces are everywhere? Who is telling everyone else they should not have Nuclear Weapons, when they have more than anyone else. And, are the only country to have use them.
And, one last thought, why shouldn't the Wealthy in this Country have to share in the Pain. They are asking everyone else to make huge sacrifices, they will make none. Selfish, Greedy, that is what got us into this mess. The Occupy folks have got that right.
No, they are not Knuckle Dragging Imbeciles, they are just a lot more politically astute than poor folks.
What do you mean tax our way to prosperity. The only people who pay taxes are the middle class. and by the way, did you even see the 60 minute piece on Norquist? Respect his organization? I think not and I am a moderate Republican who thinks my party as gone very astray. I may have to start voting Democrat just to get the nut case Republicans out of office who have not created one job!
ReplyDeleteIf you go back and look at the 60 Minutes piece, you will see in the last minute it shows that both Senator John Thune and Kristi Noem have signed "The Pledge"!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good enough reason for me to vote against both Thune and Noem when they are up for re-election. Indicates to me that neither has a mind or conviction of their own. Sheep, easily led.
ReplyDeleteNo taxes even if your country goes to hell. And as Norquist said "I help make all these possible."
ReplyDelete