Grover Norquist has maneuvered behind the scenes, threatening Republican members of Congress with primary election challenges in 2012 unless they pledge to vote against any tax increases on millionaires and billionaires. 41 Republican senators and 238 representatives have signed that pledge, but the only legitimate pledge for elected officials to sign is to preserve, protect and defend the U.S. and its Constitution. Absent the Norquist pledge, Congress would have achieved reasonable compromises on budgetary matters.
Idaho’s Mike Simpson is one of 40 House Republicans who have signed a letter saying that raising revenue has to be part of any reasonable tax reform. These individuals, and a clear majority of the general public, realize it shouldn’t be only children, the middle class and the poor who sacrifice to achieve a balanced budget in these difficult times. Shared sacrifice is needed. We must support those who push back against today’s Voldemort (as a friend of mine calls him), Grover Norquist.
Let your Senators and Representatives of either party know you are taking the Fairness/Anti-Norquist Pledge.
Keyboard: usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml (include the two capitals), to find telephone numbers for Senators and Representatives from your state.
When you call, give your name, address, a means of contact and say something like:
“Be informed that I am taking the Fairness/Anti-Norquist pledge. I pledge to vote against and work against anyone who keeps a promise to protect millionaires and billionaires from any tax increase.”
Richard C. Nelson is an Ohio University graduate and a professor emeritus at Purdue University.
