Top GOP congressman: My donors told me to pass the Republican tax bill or 'don't ever call me again'
Business Insider November 7, 2017
Proof: the Norquist pledge is meant to get donations to block tax increases on the wealthy--as well as cut.
Posted: 2/12/2016 Bringing you up to date!
Grover Norquist said on 60 Minutes speaking to Steve Croft [Nov. 11, 2011]: it would be difficult to imagine a republican winning a primary without signing the pledge. The reason for that: the rich and big corporations are not likely to contribute to their political-election campaign without the signing the pledge: agreeing to block tax increases on them.
That has become part of the dogma of the Republication Party—since 1986, and despite all my condemnations in the past, according the ATR website; still, 219 members of the House and 48 senators have signed the pledge, all republicans, except for 3 democrats. That is not the way democracy is supposed to work. They have pledged their allegiance to Norquist, the Dark Wizard, not the U.S. Constitution.
Congressmen are supposed to represent the people, not the top 1 percent—or the richest Americans. You cannot sign the pledge—before entering office, because that prevents you from exercising your constitutional power to raise taxes to pay for government expenses based on changing circumstances—or prevent fiscal year deficits. That is unconstitutional. It is like marring someone, when you are engaged to someone else: that is immoral. You have to break off the engagement before you marry: that is the right thing to do. Likewise, you cannot come to Congress pre-committed to Norquist’s anti-tax pledge and take the congressional Oath of Office -- to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies. Norquist is America’s # 1 fiscal enemy, because, he is the originator and enforcer of the pledge: blocking legislators, who have signed the pledge, from exercising their congressional power to raise taxes to pay for government expenses when reason [or conscience] dictates—based on changing circumstances: wars, the increased cost of natural disasters, homeland security, expanded healthcare, the reimbursement of the looted Social Security Trust Fund, etc.
You must be free to exercise both powers. Norquist says, No.
Once you sign the pledge: one arm [or congressional power] is bound – the only power they can exercise: one arm--the power to lower taxes. Our growing mountain of debt, now $19 trillion, is the results of too many one-armed congressmen in the House and Senate who have signed the Norquist pledge. That violates the Oath of Office, because, it prevents you from exercising your constitutional power to raise taxes to pay for government expenses. You cannot sign the Norquist pledge and take the Oath of office; because, they conflict. You cannot serve two [opposing] masters.
The reason: the constitution grants Congress the power to enact taxes: is to pay for government expenses: Signers refuse. That is malfeasance.
Furthermore, you cannot decide a person is guilty or innocent —pretrial or without hearing the evidence. Signers of the Norquist no-tax-increase pledge do that: prior to entering Congress—or office.
It is wrong and illegal. The reason: I bring this up: most GOP presidential contenders this year have signed the pledge to oppose and veto any tax increases if they are elected. Why has the Supreme Court, after 29 years of usage, not ruled this Norquist anti-tax pledge—unconstitutional. It is the same—as deciding a person’s guilt or innocence before trial. That would disbar you from being a jurist: any member of Congress, that pledges not to raise taxes for any reason—as means of getting campaign donations from the rich and corporations do the same thing. They should be tried for violating the Constitution and the Oath of Office, disbarred from office, and sent to prison.
It is no different than taking a bribe—to reach a guilty or innocent verdict in a criminal case; but, more serious: hurts the Nation: the rich have become richer and Uncle Sam deeper in debt.
And, the richer the top 1 percent: the more power they have over Congress. Now, they have the power to prevent tax reform: they control the majority of Republicans in the House, who have signed the anti-tax pledge, refuse to raise taxes to pay for government expenses.
Our skyrocketing National Debt cannot be solved, unless this pledge to the devil, to oppose and veto all tax increases for any reason, is purged from our political system and government.
It is anti-democratic, irrational, and evil.
Republicans have had eight debates and never has this question been asked of the presidential candidates: did you sign the Norquist Pledge?
These debates are rigged!
This is a serious R-offense.
These are the republican presidential candidates that have dropped out that have signed the Norquist pledge, violated the Oath of Office: Rich Perry, Lindsey Graham, Paul Rand, Rich Santorum, George Pataki, Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina [not an office holder], and Chris Christie.
These are the republicans still in the race for the U.S. presidency who have signed the Norquist pledge, violated the Oath of Office: Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson [not an office holder], and John Kasick. Trump is undecided, but Norquist likes his tax plan.
That is the same thing!
It is the flatting of the graduating income tax and the repeal of the estate tax: two goals of the Republican Party.
And, he denies: it will raise deficits.
Read more:
Posted: 3/12/12 The Norquist Pledge is Unconstitutional
[updated and revised]
In 1985, Grover Norquist founded the group-- Americas for Tax Reform—he says -- by the request of Ronald Reagan; if, there is proof of that; than Reagan was suffering from dementia—or is a Plutocrat.
The name Americans for Tax Reform is a misnomer; because, it is mostly funded, I believe, by wealthy Americans who don’t want to pay their fair share of taxes: not the majority of people. It is a secret organization; like El-Qaeda: conducting its meetings without press. It main purpose: to get members of Congress to sign the pledge—to renounce their constitutional power to raise taxes.
Norquist said on Meet the Press: congressmen that break it—have broken their pledge to Americans: that is not wholly true, according to a Gallop Poll: 66% of Americans support higher taxes on the rich.
It is unconstitutional, because it violates the Oath of Office—members of congress when they enter: they pledge to support and defend the Constitution—and well and faithfully discharge the duties of office. Duties of members of Congress: raise and lower taxes. The Norquist pledge prevents them from doing that.
Those that sign the pledge:
1. refuse to pay for the cost of wars.
2. refuse to reimburse the Society Security Trust Fund looted of $2.7 trillion to pay for the Reagan and Bush tax cuts.
3. refuse to pay off the National Debt.
4. refuse to pay for Medicare part D.
5. refuse to pay for new programs enacted by Congress
6. refuse to pay for government FY expenditures that have been authorized by the majority members of Congress—or included in Federal Budgets.
Signers of the Devil’s pledge, who refuse to raise taxes to pay U.S. legal debts, for the benefits they receive by doing so; constitutes a criminal act against the fiscal health of the U.S. government.
The U.S. Constitution gives congressmen the power to raise and lower taxes, you cannot tie one hand behind their back, so, that lawmakers cannot discharge the duties of office.
It is like—you are chosen as a juror to a murder trial; but—your employer says: before you hear the evidence at the trial: you must make up your mind: the defendant is innocent —or be fired. The Norquist pledge does that. Elected members of Congress must enter the Congress with an open mind—so they can hear the evidence and use their conscience to make judgments based on the facts. You cannot do that if, you signed the pledge: your mind is already decided. You cannot bargain in good faith; if, your mind is preset. And if, you changed your mind: subject to party retribution.
Norquist says, Republicans who vote to raise taxes [exercise their constitutional power] are “rat heads in a bottle of Coke” The bottle of Coke, represents the Republican Party. If you were a republican and proposed higher taxes on the wealthy—you will be excoriated and expelled.
The Norquist no-tax-increase pledge has become embedded in the Republican Party and has semi-paralyzed Congress. The Norquist organization was founded in 1985—to protect the Reagan tax cuts. He cut the top rate from 70% to 50% to 28%. Instead of reducing the deficit—$18 trillion has been added to the National Debt—since Reagan.
It is like an extraneous virus infecting 236 members of the House and 41 Senators, mostly all Republicans, preventing them from acting sanely. The fact that 98 percent of House Republicans have signed the pledge—is clear proof, they represents the richest Americans.
Back in 1918—the income tax had 56 marginal tax rates from 6% to 77%--by 1979: 16 marginal tax rates: 0% to 70%: Reagan lowered them to two: 15% and 28%. President Reagan duped voters.
There was a huge spike in the deficits after the Reagan tax cuts and President George H.W. Bush—added the 31% tax rate. That did not do it, so President Bill Clinton added the 36% and 39.6%. That slowed the U.S. debt buildup -- not stop. Then, George W. Bush was elected and he reduced the top four income tax rates, reduced the estate tax, increased the exemption, and repealed it for one year [2010]—and reduced the capital gains and dividend tax to 15% and the National Debt skyrocketed--again.
Both President Reagan and Bush duped voters—claiming their tax cuts would reduce deficits. But, George W. Bush is the only U.S. president to sign the pledge and he added close to $5 trillion to the National Debt. He went further: he cut taxes during two wars.
That is war-tax-desertion.
And, there is where Norquist wants to keep them. The Norquist pledge—prevents lawmakers form restoring the higher income tax rates eliminated by Reagan and Bush--for any reason, no matter—how justified. That is wrong and harmful to the United States.
You must enter the Congress with both powers at your disposal; so, that if necessary, you can raise taxes—to pay for wars, to pay off the Social Security IOUs, to pay for government expenditures to keep the nation for going bankrupt, etc. The Norquist pledge—prevents congressmen—from doing that. They want to pay US debts—one way: Starve the Beast.
And, he will threaten congressmen, if, they don’t. That means: Americans for Tax Reform, has become a terrorist organization. It will attack you for breach of pledge. Congressmen must enter Congress with an open mind; but, disciples of Norquist, the Devil, are impervious to reason, the facts, and public sentiment: that is not how the Congress should operate. If, Congress can freely lower taxes—it should be able to freely raise them. Both powers are necessary to manage our nation's finances--responsibly.
The three big reasons: why the US Debt has been rising dramatically, since 1981, are the Reagan tax cuts, the origination of the Norquist no-tax increase pledge in 1985—and the George W. Bush tax cuts.
If, the U.S. Congress cannot get rid itself of this evil strategy to get funding for their political election campaigns from the rich and corporations by promising no tax increase for any reason, the Supreme Court should step in—and declare the Norquist no-tax-increase pledge—unconstitutional.
It creates the one-armed congressmen, governor—or president.
Until then, don’t vote for any candidate that has taken the Devil’s Pledge: it is deleterious to the fiscal health of America and the increased wealth of the top 1 percent, resulting from, is a danger to democratic rule.
The present election is a testament to wealth vs. the people.