Grover Norquist: Any Tax Plan that Generates Additional Revenue From Deduction Changes Violates Pledge
Via NRO (this piece is straight reporting from NRO, there is no editorializing):
If any politician who has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge votes for a tax plan that doesn’t raise rates, but does change the current deduction structure in such a way that the government gets more revenue, he has violated the pledge, says Grover Norquist.
‘If you raise taxes, it’s a problem with the pledge,’ Norquist says in an interview. ‘Romney’s plan was always revenue neutral – I’m in favor of getting rid of deductions and credits and reducing rates, as long as it’s revenue neutral. That’s always been the Republican position.’
He also rejects the notion that a politician could not violate the pledge by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire as they are scheduled to do at the end of the year. ‘Not an option,’ Norquist responds. ‘There will be a vote to continue all tax cuts.’
‘Some of the Republicans are going ‘well, we could be open to something if he did entitlement reform and you didn’t raise rates,” Norquist remarks. ‘Well, since the President hasn’t moved on either of those, it doesn’t keep me up at night what color unicorn they would like if unicorns existed.’
Grover Norquist at his obstructionist, disrespectful best. I really hope that any Sequestration deal that passes leaves him screaming in butthurt agony.