During the just ended election cycle one name kept popping up in the news over and over. It seemed every time I turned around the name of Grover Norquist kept popping up. The question that kept crossing my mind is why would anyone sign a pledge for him? Especially as I find him to be a rather weaselly looking individual. Signing his pledge effectively tied the hands of any Congressman willing to stick by his word. The whole thing raises a very major question. Members of Congress take an oath to uphold the Constitution. Swearing not to do something that is their duty could be construed as treason. Norquist is smart as he is appealing to an issue that effects people's wallets. Especially those who have big wallets. The problem is his stance seems to be hypocritical.
From what I have been able to find out about him on line. He has supported wars in Afghanistan, even helping the freedom fighters. As his wife is of Middle Eastern background and Muslim he seems to have leaned toward their point of view. Supposedly he was involved in the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration. So he believes in supporting or fighting wars. Wars cost money and that money is usually raised in the form of taxes. Mr. Norquist objects to raising taxes and could be viewed as a subversive based on that point of view. His goal seems to be to create the problem he says he is trying to eliminate. He complains of over spending and high debt, but his own actions are helping create the problem he is complaining of.
When Congress ties their own hands and eliminates the tools they need to bring order to the domestic budget it is a sign of incompetence. Not raising taxes definitely appeals to the fat cats who support the candidates in their election campaigns. Raising taxes may limit Congressmen's ability to raise funds for future election campaigns. The pledge is appealing to the Congressmen as they do not have to do anything. That is of course exactly why America is in the situation it finds itself now in. Congress has failed to do its job for the last twenty years if not longer. The rise in national debt can easily be traced to bi-partisan actions during the Clinton administration. Agreements between then President Clinton and then House Speaker Newt Gingrich initiated the explosive rise of the national debt and actions by Congress since that time have only escalated the problem. If you want the whole story on this read my February 20, 2012 blog entry, "America's Economic Bipartisan Death Deal," it explains why our national debt is out of control.
Please forgive me for getting side tracked from the reason for writing this post. The reason for the side trip was to show that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were basically funded on credit and no taxes were raised or allocated for the fighting of those wars. Norquist evidently had no problem with the burden those actions placed on the National Debt. What I have been able to find on Mr. Norquist background is rather disturbing. He attended the Leadership Institute which trains people to be more effective conservatives. Some other graduates of the Institute are Karl Rove, Ralph Reid, and Senator Mitch McConnell all of whom have been involved in actions which seem to be aimed more at undermining government than promoting sound leadership. Following the trail back far enough, through the leaders of the movements and schools, and you end up at the American Independence Party. It was created by Alabama Governor George Wallace in his run to be President. This explains their narrow minded, bigoted and racist points of view. It also makes sense as to the anti Obama stance that they have taken so fervently. Of course they will all deny that they have a racist, bigoted bone in their body. America needs to wake up and see what some of these people in leadership roles actually believe in. Their actions speak louder than their words.
Getting back to Norquist. He was involved in Afghanistan supporting the "Freedom Fighters" who were trying to throw Russia out of Afghanistan. One of those "Good Guys," at the time was a guy named Osama bin Laden. That was when he was fighting a war we not only sanctioned, but financed and which came back to bite America in the butt. Did he have any contact with Osama? I do not know, but I know his actions are doing exactly what Osama bin Laden advocated. They are destroying the United States economically by binding Congress's hands and causing government to come to a standstill. He may have used a legitimate weapon, but the outcome is still the same. I can not prove his intentions, but I can say one thing. His actions are as bad, if not far worse than Romney's "47% group." He is not only making a living off the fat cats, that are to dumb to see that he is destroying the very system they need to make a living. He is undermining the whole American government. He has done it very skillfully. So he is not only living off the system as the 47% are doing in an effort to survive. He is attempting to destroy that very system to line his pockets. Having said all that I will not go into his support of pro Muslim groups that also are attempting to undermine our government..
Congress needs to take a long hard look at Mr Norquist and see if his actions are not out of line with what he seems to advocate. He has mastered the art of mining money from the hate groups of the extreme right. The real kicker is that he is using that money to "support" groups the extreme right hates with a passion. He has figured out how to have his cake and eat it too.
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