Columnist papers over Norquist's corruption

The willingness of Americans to support fiscal policies that work against their best interests are stunning in many ways. Easily blamed on poor education, a desirable political consequence, Grover Norquist's success to sell our Democracy is impressive - as are his connections to Jack Abramoff.

Grover Norquist

Abramoff
Abramoff

Interesting editorial --

Columnist papers over Norquist's corruption
Written by Elliott Ozment

I almost never respond to conservative op-eds; after all, they have a right to their opinion. But columnist Richard J. Grant’s big wet kiss for Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform (Aug. 7) went too far for me to keep my silence.

In describing ATR as “providing a service that gives voters useful information,” Dr. Grant is like the history student who simply describes Attila the Hun as a king that ruled over Europe, totally ignoring his cruelty and barbarism.

For those who don’t know, Norquist is widely reputed to be the single most powerful man in Washington aside from the president. In fact, Norquist and ATR are the shining example of what’s most wrong and corrupt about Washington.

ATR is itself a misnomer; no one knows who the “Americans” are in this organization because ATR, although tax-exempt, does not disclose its members or donors. Our only information comes from congressional investigations; according to People for the American Way, ATR is heavily funded by corporate backers, with tobacco, gambling and alcohol industries figuring most prominently in 1999.

That year, it received $685,000 in donations from Philip Morris, and $360,000 from the “Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians” (represented by now-convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff), as a conduit to finance “grass-roots lobbying campaigns” (nowadays known as “soft money,” which is extremely hard-to-track political funding).

ATR is also misnamed because the last thing it wants is “tax reform” — it wants “tax status quo.” ATR and Norquist are the reason why we can’t get rid of corporate loopholes like corporate jet deductions and Big Oil subsidies to companies that pay zero taxes.

Norquist says that Congress cannot vote for these reforms without applying that revenue to lower corporate tax rates. But can’t we use that revenue to pay down our national deficit? Forget it!

How did Norquist acquire so much power? It’s through that no-tax-increase pledge that Dr. Grant is so proud of. It starts out: “I ... pledge to the taxpayers of (my state), and to the American people ...” Funny, I must have been gone when Tennessee voters elected Grover Norquist to negotiate tax policy on our behalf with our own elected representatives.

Dr. Grant characterizes the “pledge” as a “simple statement” which “is a promise to taxpayers and voters.” No, it’s not. It’s a diabolical club which, when signed by any office-holder, gives Norquist a weapon with which to bludgeon that lawmaker to his political death if he dares to step out of line 1 inch.

Here’s how it works: In 2010, Norquist spent $4.1 million on federal elections: $3.4 million against Democrats and $332,170 against Republicans (FEC, 4/25/11). According to the Center for Responsive Politics, he spent over 10 percent of his entire campaign war chest in a direct-mail and phone-bank operation against Lincoln Davis in Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District. Result: Davis lost to Scott DesJarlais.

Now guess who from Tennessee has signed Norquist’s no-tax pledge: Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and U.S. Reps. Phil Roe, John Duncan, Chuck Fleischmann, DesJarlais, Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn and Stephen Fincher.

The next time we need to close corporate tax loopholes to pay down our national deficit, will these guys listen to you or to Grover Norquist? Like Esau of old, these “representatives” have sold their vote and your trust for a bowl of stew.

Do you see now why S&P lowered our nation’s credit rating? Are you mad yet?

Elliott Ozment is a Nashville attorney who specializes in immigration law.