Roskam should ditch Norquist Pledge for Peoples' Pledge
On January 3, 2013, Peter Roskam will take the oath of office for the fourth time as my IL 6th District Congressman. The oath contains the requisite pledge to defend the Constitution and concludes with "I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter". But Peter Roskam, along with 235 other members of his GOP House caucus, have taken another oath, the wealthy folks' ultimate lobbyist Grover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge, that is incompatible to his constitutional oath.
The Norquist oath requires Roskam to oppose "any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses". While that may sound innocuous, it is designed to further Norquist's decades long effort to redistribute middle class wealth to the wealthiest Americans who worship Norquist for his dedication and success in bringing that goal to fruition. How? While America sinks further into debt every year, the wealthiest 2% continue to enjoy trillions in unneeded long term tax cuts. Meanwhile, job stimulus, infrastructure rebuilding, educational development, renewable energy creation, social services to the needy all have to pay the tab with cuts or outright defunding. A corollary to the Norquist Pledge is that our gargantuan military budget suffers not a single cut, but instead, is rewarded with increases even the military doesn't demand. That is truly a policy of short sighted self destruction, and is supported by 98% of GOP House Leader Roskam's caucus (236 of 242), who have signed Norquit's oath, while the House Democrats are 99% Norquist free, having taken only the Constitutional oath.
We experienced how dysfunctional the Norquist Tax Pledge functions just this week as the Norquist primed House GOP prevented Speaker Boehner from bringing his Plan B tax proposal to a vote because it dared allowed for a modest tax increase starting at a million dollars of annual income. This act sabotaged negotiations between Speaker Boehner and President Obama to strike a compromise deal on spending cuts, and tax increases on the wealthy, to preserve tax cuts for the lower 98% income earners. It's almost certain that mandated tax increases on everyone and draconian spending cuts will kick in on New Years Day.
Peter Roskam can't act for the other 235 House GOP members who have divided loyalty on how to serve the public interest. But he can disavow the Grover Glenn Norquist Taxpayer Protection Pledge and begin his fourth House term dedicated solely to "discharge the duties of the office" he is about to enter.
The Norquist oath requires Roskam to oppose "any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses". While that may sound innocuous, it is designed to further Norquist's decades long effort to redistribute middle class wealth to the wealthiest Americans who worship Norquist for his dedication and success in bringing that goal to fruition. How? While America sinks further into debt every year, the wealthiest 2% continue to enjoy trillions in unneeded long term tax cuts. Meanwhile, job stimulus, infrastructure rebuilding, educational development, renewable energy creation, social services to the needy all have to pay the tab with cuts or outright defunding. A corollary to the Norquist Pledge is that our gargantuan military budget suffers not a single cut, but instead, is rewarded with increases even the military doesn't demand. That is truly a policy of short sighted self destruction, and is supported by 98% of GOP House Leader Roskam's caucus (236 of 242), who have signed Norquit's oath, while the House Democrats are 99% Norquist free, having taken only the Constitutional oath.
We experienced how dysfunctional the Norquist Tax Pledge functions just this week as the Norquist primed House GOP prevented Speaker Boehner from bringing his Plan B tax proposal to a vote because it dared allowed for a modest tax increase starting at a million dollars of annual income. This act sabotaged negotiations between Speaker Boehner and President Obama to strike a compromise deal on spending cuts, and tax increases on the wealthy, to preserve tax cuts for the lower 98% income earners. It's almost certain that mandated tax increases on everyone and draconian spending cuts will kick in on New Years Day.
Peter Roskam can't act for the other 235 House GOP members who have divided loyalty on how to serve the public interest. But he can disavow the Grover Glenn Norquist Taxpayer Protection Pledge and begin his fourth House term dedicated solely to "discharge the duties of the office" he is about to enter.
posted by Walt Zlotow at 8:47 AM
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