The Super Committee, which was supposed to negotiate at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction measures, announced yesterday that a compromise was impossible between Republicans and Democrats. But was the Super Committee a failure? Grover Norquist sees it as a victory.
Which isn’t really surprising.
Grover Norquist is one of the most powerful Republican lobbyists in Washington. Norquist, who runs Americans for Tax Reform, has had many Republican congress members sign a pledge to never raise taxes.
Senator John Kerry told CNN:
“Grover Norquist has been the 13th member of the (super committee) without being there. I can’t tell you how often we hear about the pledge.”
The Guardian reports that Norquist prides himself on the fact that he has single-handedly prevented Republicans from voting for any tax increases for the last two decades.
Norquist said:
“I think it worked out as well as one could expect it to. I think we [Republicans] are in reasonably good shape. This is all in anticipation of the election.”
Now that the Super Committee has failed, the government will automatically start making cuts from military and domestic spending budgets beginning in 2013. Norquist has no problem with those cuts and applauds the GOP members of the Super Committee for not falling into Obama’s trap.
Norquist said:
“Obama thinks he can trick the Republicans into raising taxes by threatening to cut defense. I do not think Republicans will fall into that trap.”
According to the Guardian, 238 out of the 242 Republicans in the House have signed Norquist’s pledge to never raise taxes. 41 out of the 47 Republican senators have also signed the pledge. Out of the GOP candidates for President, all of them have signed Norquist’s pledge.
Do you think Grover Norquist is responsible for the Super Committee’s failure? Are you happy the Super Committee failed?
