Norquist: Jeb Bush Insulted Mitt Romney By Abandoning Anti-Tax Pledge

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

Norquist: Jeb Bush Insulted Mitt Romney By Abandoning Anti-Tax Pledge
By Igor Volsky on Jun 2, 2012 at 11:26 am

Grover Norquist lashed out at former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) on Friday, the latest Republican to buck the conservative leader’s anti-tax pledge.

During an appearance on CNN’s the Situation Room, a visibly frustrated Norquist — president of Americans for Tax Reform — said that Bush “kind of stepped in it a little bit” when he told the House Budget Committee that signing Norquist’s pledge to never raise taxes is tantamount to “outsourc[ing] your principles and convictions to people.” Norquist claimed that Bush had insulted Mitt Romney by abandoning the pledge:

NORQUIST: (Bush) went on to kind of insult Governor Romney because Governor Romney has made a written commitment to the American people said, ‘when I get to Washington I’m not going to raise taxes. The problem is too much spending and we’ll reform government and we’re not going raise taxes, so when i go and see a problem in Washington like Obama’s overspending, I’m not going to raise taxes, I’m going to reduce spending.’ And unfortunately what Jeb Bush said was that that was outsourcing his principles.



Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/06/02/494083/norquist-bush-romney/

[MjolnirTime]

1. Jeb's first move for 2016. Ditch Norquist.

[rhett o rick]

9. This is the big plan. Since the Repub Party has gone wacko, Jeb and the "moderates" will

ride in to save the Party for 2016. I thought they might do it this year but looks like they will continue to try to discredit Dems for 4 more years.

[jonthebru]

20. Damn, I really hope

the Democrats gain the house keep the senate and retain the Presidency. Then the Supreme Court can be realigned.
Then the repubs can fight amongst themselves and the dems can save the country.
I actually see in the near future, the republicans fragmenting and the Democratic Party splitting into two strong but healthy parties.
All of this depends on overturning the Citizens United debacle and gaining control of the money in politics. I truly feel if we don't get a hold of campaign financing we are sunk.

A billionaire giving a politician a million dollars is like someone with a thousand dollars giving you one dollar.

[rhett o rick]

22. I agree that campaign financing is the key.

I see the moderates like Jeb Bush coming back to take the party away from the wacko's. This will make the Republican Party grow taking some of the current right of center Democrats.

The Democratic Party will try to woe back the progressives to make up for the loss of the center-righty's.

And no I havent been drinking yet.

[LiberalAndProud]

58. What really bothers me

is that Jeb Bush is considered a moderate. I don't think his agenda will be any different than his brother's was and * didn't subscribe to moderate policies.

[rhett o rick]

59. I agree. We have to work to move the bar to the left. nm

[jmowreader]

29. It's not a question of discrediting Dems

The GOP knows it can't fix the problems America has. We tried tax cuts and they led to huge deficits. We tried deregulation and the economy imploded. (Has there ever in the history of America been a case where deregulation benefited the country as a whole?) Since the only two arrows in the GOP quiver are tax cuts and deregulation, they know they have to throw this election because if they get in there, deregulate and cut taxes, and the economy collapses to the point no amount of artificial stimulus can revive it, the GOP is dead. The Republican Party doesn't want to be dead, though by any rational calculus it should be.

So...the strategy for 2012 is to throw the election by running the most unlikeable prick in America who hasn't been convicted of anything yet, letting the Democrats have the Senate back, and allowing the Democrats barely enough leeway to repair the economy. Then when the Dems HAVE caused the economy to recover, the GOP will run someone who can get votes, win the election, and proceed to destroy the economy again.

This is the political equivalent of bulimia: binge and purge, binge and purge, then get thrown in a mental hospital until you've recovered your strength well enough to go out and do it again.

[rhett o rick]

32. I agree and disagree.

Not a bad theory but I believe that once the capitalists have the golden goose down they wont let her back up to regain her health. Greed is a sickness and none of the capitalists what to back off even to let the goose survive for another day. In my opinion, they are willing to let Pres Obama have another 4 years because they havent lost much in the last 4 and they can continue to denigrate democrats. Then in 2016 they will take the presidency one way or the other. This year is a trial for Citizen's United.

[jmowreader]

39. They've let her up at least once before

My feeling has always been that Bush the Elder intentionally threw the 1992 election. Bush basically had the election in the bag after Desert Storm--just don't fuck up, and you've got it. (This is also why Clinton was our nominee instead of one of the name-brand Democrats...Bush has this, let the governor of Arkansas get killed against him.) Then he went out and ran a campaign that will forever set a new low mark for incompetence--right up to the point where Bush looked at his watch during one of the debates.

Clinton then went out and created 22 million jobs.

2016 is an open question: if the economy is still in the shitter, another Democrat will get it.

[sofa king]

50. You gotta have fleece to get fleeced.

So I completely agree. They're letting the fur grow back for awhile.

[CrispyQ]

14. And if Romney wins in November?

Will Jeb challenge him in '16?

[SoutherDem]

15. If Romney wins in November

We will welcome a Bush back to the White House.

[rhett o rick]

31. Yes. Romney will do so bad that Jeb will be welcomed to save the party

and country.

[CrispyQ]

44. Neither of you answered my question. :)

How will they remove an incumbent president so Jebbie can run? That would mean they'd have to admit publicly that one of their own didn't cut it.

I think 2012 is problematic for them - it's in their nature to want to win, but they have a candidate no one is excited about & his winning could possibly throw a wrench into the works for 2016, not to mention how badly he might screw everything up.

I think their party is going have more of these issues as the teabaggers go more extreme. They are not going to be able to appease the moderates & extremists, both & I think repub party leadership has awakened to this fact. It will be interesting to see if their party splits. My concern is that their moderates will defect to our already more-to-the-right-than-left democratic party & our party will welcome them with open arms.


It's a little dated, but Horsey nails it:




I am weary of the American political system & it's choice of non-choices.

Always good to see you around!

[rhett o rick]

46. Of course I have an answer and my record for predictions is pretty amazing.

I view the TeaParty similar to Hitler's Brown Shirts. They came in a busted things up good and scared the hell out of everyone. Now it's time for the SS to smack them down and the moderates (their term not mine) will ride in and save the day. I thought it might happen at this convention but looks like I was wwwwwrong.

This election serves the Repubs in another way. They will see what works and doesnt work re. Citizens United.

I think my record for predicting this schtuff is something like 0 for alot, but that doesnt slow me down.

[MjolnirTime]

48. Jeb knows Romney will lose. He's not an idiot.

[Zorro]

2. Is this Jeb's Sister Souljah moment?

[kestrel91316]

3. Who died and made Grover Norquist king?

[freshwest]

8. The guy on the right? One of them spawned Nordquist. 'Satan' per Wikipedia.

[wordpix]

54. could be the Koch-heads et. al from corporate Amerika

Norquist definitely has a "king" complex and someone with Big Money has put him out front as spokesperson. Who, exactly, is the question. My guess: Walmart, BigOil, Big Pharma and other execs who don't get it that their taxes provide them with good highways, schools that develop talented workers, and waterways that are fishable and swimmable in front of their McMansions.

[exboyfil]

4. Yes $10 in cuts to

every $1 of increase with no specificity on the increase. Talk about sticking the toenail of your big toe in the water.

Romney is right aobut the spending, but he needs to look to that funny shaped pentagonal building for where the majority of that spending resides. Interesting in that the Pentagon is the one area that is not spending enough according to him.

[lookingfortruth]

5. How the Hell does this - THIS person (person- being used VERY loosely) get this much power

Norquist is from a town not far from where I live and I can't understand how he has gotten so much power WITHOUT holding office.

[Harry Monroe]

7. Only thing I can think of is that Norquist has dirt on most of the GOP

and they don't want to be exposed. He must have some big time blackmail material!!! Other that that, it's a real headscratcher!

[freshwest]

10. Sounds right. His utterances are always menacing, about destroying someone, the darkside Karl Rove.

[Tom Ripley]

21. That's why his townhouse was such a DC "bachelor pad/party house"

He's just another J Edgar Hoover

[newspeak]

60. yeah, and unfortunately, the public won't hear about his possibly corrupt life

until he's long gone; and then it's too late. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result. Little boots cut taxes, especially for his friends, while lying us into a war. Where's the sacrifice? You don't do something like that unless you're attempting to bankrupt the country. For whom are you bankrupting the country? since little boots, the wealth disparity has become fekkin obscene. Norquist and his greedy, unamerican corporate vampires are just waiting in the wings to basically give this country over to the highest bidders. I don't consider the man to be an american. He apparently cares nothing about the well being of this country nor the majority of the people.

[jmowreader]

30. I've got a chart on my computer that I could show you

I did a GOP wiring diagram once. There is a triumvirate of Norquist, Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed who are connected somehow to every top-shelf Republican in America. They met through the College Republican National Committee and have only gotten worse as they've gone along.

My favorite Abramoff wickedness: Once upon a time an Indian casino in (I think; I'd have to look it up) Louisiana was freshly built, and the local churches were really pissed about it. Abramoff charged the churches $25,000 to get it shut down, and succeeded. Then he went to the casino, told them he was really sorry their casino had been shut down, but for $25,000 he could get it reopened. Being an asshole isn't a chargeable offense, but it should be.

[lookingfortruth]

35. Would love to see this chart maybe you can put it on DU. I would love to see it. I do have a

question: Would this be able to show how big money is conected to all this IE Koch Brother?

[jmowreader]

37. No, the big money connections are not on there

The chart's on a different computer than this one, so I'll dig it out.

[lookingfortruth]

41. THanks

[A Simple Game]

47. It may be a different casino but I seem to remember

Abramoff bilking some tribe for millions, not $25,000.

I may be wrong and don't have time to research right now.

[jmowreader]

51. Abramoff bilked a lot of tribes for a lot of millions

Jack Abramoff, among his other atrocities, was the most prominent Indian Gaming lobbyist in the business.

The tribe I was referring to was the Tigua, who own the Speaking Rock Casino and Entertainment Center in El Paso, Texas. I looked this up, and it's a masterpiece of evil: The Louisiana Coushatta (L-C) own casinos that get a lot of their business from eastern Texas residents. Abramoff set up a shell corporation to funnel money from the L-C to Texas fundamentalists fighting Speaking Rock, on the theory that if Speaking Rock were allowed to stay open, other Texas tribes might open casinos in the areas the L-C's customers lived in and damage the L-C's livelihood. After the Texas government closed Speaking Rock (they interpreted the federal Tribal Recognition Act to read that they could prohibit on reservation land any gambling that was prohibited off reservation land), Abramoff went to the Tigua and offered his services to "right the wrong" done to the Tigua. Which, of course, he was up to his ass in causing. Google "Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal."

[Iliyah]

6. Jeb belongs to the BUSH ROYAL FAMILY

Norquist will find will something bloody in his bed!

[rhett o rick]

12. He is playing right into their hands. At some point the Norquistians are going to crash

and Jeb is going to be there helping. That's helping the crash nothing more. Jeb needs a bad guy to take down and Norquist is the perfect villain.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

11. Oh boo hoo, Grover

Grow up and get over it, you little narcissist. NOBODY elected YOU.

[Left Coast2020]

42. My thoughts exactly. Boo F'ing Hoo.

[Jake2413]

13. Grover Norquist is an economic terrorist

[The Wizard]

17. And a jerkoff (NT)

[Voice for Peace]

16. so sad

boo hoo, grover

[Angry Dragon]

18. This country was stronger when the top tax rate was

between 70% to 90% ........... how does grover explain that??

[graham4anything]

19. I warned you all

those that know me from elsewhere know I have warned of Jeb doing just this.

Bush41 was the last person Reagan wanted as running mate, yet he wormed his way on the ticket. If Jeb is vp (and he will take if asked) nominee, he would be the presumptive republican nominee in 2016. (and NOT get any blame when Mitt loses).

If NOT picked for VP, Jeb has now staked his own turf, and insures he is in the top rung, if not the lead for 2016 by being the only non-crazy.

Beware, this is all going according to script.

[LiberalLovinLug]

24. You are not the only one that foresees "the plan"

But yeah, its all going as planned.

The GOP would like to win the Presidency back this fall, and maybe if the SuperPacs do their job who knows?...but I don't think they are planning on it, otherwise they would have run Jeb Bush and Chris Christie this time instead of saving them.

What is still up for debate is whether the DLC have also conceded 2016. ie..We've had our turn, now its yours..nudge nudge. Will they hold back stronger candidates...(Hillary..etc) and run weaker ones like the GOP is doing this round? I guess we'll see.

The GOP welcomes buffoons like Trump into the mix this time to push the extremes so that Jeb can ride in on an off-white medium size and even tempered horse to save the day.

[Thinkingabout]

23. As Democrat as I am, it is wonderful to hear even one repub stand up for what is right in USA.

He needs to add many more strong repubsb to his group and get rid of TP, neo-nazi and rw terrorist. He just might be the start of a way back for all of us.

[BootinUp]

25. Keep yappin Norquist it will only hurt you/Romney.

[kiranon]

26. No, Jeb insulted you (Norquist) and he isn't the first one to do so.

[Douglas Carpenter]

27. remember how during George W's years - people thinking - wow he is making Reagan seem reasonable and

moderate - now we are reaching the point where today's Republican Party are making the Bush brothers and even the neocons seem reaonable and moderate in comparison. Where in the good God's name will this all end?

[sofa king]

28. Coming Soon to Bravo: The Real Gangsters of DC

[wordpix]

57. now that's a show I'd love to see

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

33. Oh go stick your head in a bath tub Grover.

Supposedly Jeb Bush never signed the pledge.

http://www.salon.com/2012/06/01/jeb_bush_accepts_reality_rejects_vp/singleton/

[underpants]

34. Would it be too much trouble for Grover to blow his nose?

he sounds like a whiney litttle... well he is whiney and little

[MrSlayer]

36. I would like to punch him in the face.

Really hard, repeatedly. This guy is pure scum. The worst of the worst.

[cstanleytech]

38. I would be to worried Jeb would be like his brother to vote for him............ever.

In fact I would be to worried to vote for any republican in any election right now as the majority of them who are running for office are imo.......................batshit crazy.

[unkachuck]

40. sounds like....

....grover 'monster' norquist has insulted old jebbie....jebbie should be allowed to have an independent idea, opinion, position or thought without being attacked by the self-appointed uber-right-wing thought police chief....why does grover 'monster' feel that he, and only he, has all the answers?

....if grover 'monster' want to be a big-time boss-man or president, he should run his sorry ass for office and get himself elected....

'...Bush "kind of stepped in it a little bit"....bush kind of stepped into some norqusit....

[Marie Marie]

43. Here Grover - I bought you a great big cup of STFU.

Whew - got that one in before Bloomberg bans them.

[AlbertCat]

45. Jeb Bush Insulted Mitt Romney

And Grover and the entire GOP insulted my intelligence.... and the world's.

[calimary]

49. Just who does this little weenie think he is?

I am SO sick and tired of hearing him spouting off and getting attention and having his reputation as a GOP leading light just polished even shinier. Sick of him! We've heard WAY more than enough from this little putz. He is one of the worst things EVER to happen to America. There he is. Mr. Selfish America.

[Peaceful Protester]

52. ...Who is LOBBYIST Grover Norquist, Alex?

Correct! ...We would have also accepted, "Who is 'Republican' Lobbyist Grover Norquist?"

PS: Norquist and Americans for Tax Reform were also mentioned in Senate testimony relating to the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal which resulted in a 2006 guilty plea by Abramoff to three criminal felony counts of defrauding of American Indian tribes and corrupting public officials.

People are finally becoming aware of who Grover Norquist REALLY IS, a Republican Lobbyist.

Now suddenly the Republican party is feeling nervous about having signed a lobbyists pledge.

With stories such as the one above involving lobbyists, politics and corruption, does the whole Republican party really want to be known for signing a pledge to a lobbyist?

[wordpix]

55. note to IRS: I went to ATR website & saw Grover's "affiliates" are all at the exact same address AND

they are all "orgs" requesting donations with no board members listed, and only one has a contact person listed, who is one of Grover's staff members at ATR.

The ATR Foundation is a 501 c3 non-profit org, but ATR itself is a registered lobbyist, says right there on the website:

"ATR is a nonprofit, 501(c)(4) lobbying organization. Contributions to Americans for Tax Reform are not tax deductible. The Americans for Tax Reform Foundation is a 501c(3) research and educational organization."

Read more: http://atr.org/about

I smell something fishy---- hello, IRS?

[Peaceful Protester]

53. Can you say, "Simpson-Bowles Commission?"

Last edited Thu Jun 14, 2012, 07:28 PM - Edit history (2)

"For heaven’s sake, you have Grover Norquist wandering the earth in his white robes saying that if you raise taxes one penny, he’ll defeat you," he added. "He can’t murder you. He can’t burn your house. The only thing he can do to you, as an elected official, is defeat you for reelection. And if that means more to you than your country when we need patriots to come out in a situation when we’re in extremity, you shouldn’t even be in Congress."

"I guess I’m known as a RINO now, which means a Republican in name only, because, I guess, of social views, perhaps, or common sense would be another one, which seems to escape members of our party," said Simpson, a co-chair of President Obama’s fiscal commission, on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS.

NOTE: Former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) has also appeared on MSNBC's The Last Word, where he called for an investigation into Grover Norquist's political activities, saying, "Who is he slave to?"

PS: Could an anti-pledge signing pledge to counter Norquist’s pledges, thus nullifying all previously signed pledges, be in the works?

[wordpix]

56. Norquist funded by Big Oil, Kochs, Big Tobacco

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Prosperity