So a bunch of Republican congressmen, including Boehner, voted for the compromise. As I understand it, all of them had signed Grover Norquist’s vow to never raise taxes. Yet, they did.
So where does that leave them? Will Norquist prevail by mounting primary challenges or will Norquest and his ilk become impotent?
I could be wrong but I think Grover Norquist backed down beforehand and said a GOP compromise wouldn’t violate his pledge.
I’ll run along and see if I can find proof.
Yes, I heard something about that but that just paints him as another hypocrite that talks out of both sides of his mouth. (We knew that but that’s another discussion.)
Isn’t a pledge a pledge? These bozos signed it and it can be used against them.
Does his capitulation on the pledge he insisted on make his organization impotent or are the further political implications that the “Tea Party” will use to attack those who voted for the compromise?
As I see it, if he admits those republicans who voted for the bill violated the pledge, he loses some of the power to enforce the pledge on others. So he’s stonewalling. Didn’t happen!
Precisely. If all these guys violate the pledge, he can’t act against all of them. Rather than throw an ineffectual rant and lose power, he smiles and says everything’s good.
On the other hand, they delayed voting so that this loophole could be exploited. It would’ve been better for them to break ranks as a large group and put an end to Norquist’s hold on them once and for all. Instead, like great compromises and appeasements in the past, status quo is maintained and confrontation is put off for another day.
Is this “Norquest” something similar to World of Warcraft?
I thought it was one of them Sierra adventure games… set in Norway.
interesting part is that it didn’t entirely work. Whoever is at the other end of Grover’s chain yanked on it, and he fell into place. But IIRC, that was a plenary indulgence for a previous incarnation of the Deal. I don’t know that he made any pronouncement on this thingy, I imagine he would think it was far too generous to the undeserving.
Gotta wonder, just how good a living does he make being the Cthulu of Dweeb? And who really signs his checks?
The sleight of hand was that the vote was not to raise taxes. Since the taxes when up automatically the minute the ball dropped in Times Square, the vote was technically to keep the same tax rate on those making $400k plus per year and a tax cut for those under that. Tricky thing, the English language.
Yes but what about those Senators who voted BEFORE 1/1/13? I haven’t seen Norquist rant against them even though he said it was the Reps voting after 1/1 that meant they didn’t violate the pledge. I can’t imagine that no Senators pledged, but maybe?
I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Norquist’s power lies mainly with the house. It’s harder to affect a statewide race, but house districts are relatively small, and gerrymandered to boot. I suppose it would take a small amount of money (relative to a statewide race) to make a big splash in such districts. Sent a candidate into a gerrymandered district breathing fire about the RINO, back it up with some TV ads and talking-head time, and the incumbent is primaried by the next Michelle Bachmann. Apparently Grover can make this happen.