The latest Congress-created crisis, the so called “fiscal cliff,” has weak-kneed Republicans caving in droves to calls for tax increases.
In spite of having a year to figure out how to avoid a combination of massive tax hikes and deep defense cuts, Congressional leaders and the President have once again waited until only a few weeks before the deadline to start negotiating.
At the center of the conversation surrounding the closed-door negotiations has been the famed “no-tax pledge” that many Congressman and Senators have signed. It reads as follows:
“I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”
The pledge is the brain-child of Americans For Tax Reform founder Grover Norquist. Norquist has been the target of liberal ire for decades. But he now finds himself taking shots from Republicans who claim the pledge, which they willingly signed as a commitment to their constituents, should be tossed aside.
The Wall St. Journal said it best yesterday:
“Thus we have the sight of powerful Senators like Saxby Chambliss and Lindsey Graham and New York Congressman Peter King patting themselves on the back for having the courage to stand up to a guy who has never held public office. On Monday no less than billionaire Warren Buffett, who can get the President on the phone at will, attacked Mr. Norquist. Who knew one unelected fellow had so much power?
“The truth is that Mr. Norquist doesn’t have such power. The voters do. Mr. Norquist merely had the wit to channel the electorate’s limited government beliefs into a single-issue enforcement mechanism. Politicians sign the pledge not because they want to box themselves in — politicians by their nature want, er, flexibility — but because they want to get elected. And re-elected.”
Fortunately for Alabama, Senator Jeff Sessions is not one of the aforementioned weak-kneed Republicans. “I signed [the no-tax pledge] and I absolutely believe we don’t have to raise taxes now,” Sessions said yesterday on Fox News.
Check out the interview below along with several other solid quotes from Senator Sessions.
Sessions highlights from the interview:
– “We need to create growth which creates jobs, not damage growth by huge tax increases.”
– “If our taxes are just for new spending, I think the American people need to say ‘no, you need to get your house under control before we send you another dime.’”
– “Has there been any talk about reducing spending? Any real serious discussion about that? And what will this new revenue be used for?”
– “What I’m concerned about is where this money would be going. They say it’s for deficit reduction, but the president’s budget that he submitted to us in January would increase spending another $1.4 trillion…he’s proposing now $1.6 trillion in new taxes.”
– “This idea of holding these things off til the last crisis minute is wrong, and the American people need to speak out on that.”
