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Grover Norquist: We need revenue through growth, not taxes

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    Author of anti-tax pledge facing GOP resistance

  • Duration 8:00
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What was it like everyone's been talking about and we thought we would talk to it now to the storm's center a guy named Grover Grover Norquist president of Americans for Tax Reform.

Grover they don't appear to like your pledge what's going on.

Well two things some of the people who are being dragged up are retreads there's nothing new in this last weekend about.

Some of that senators who said that they would be -- true tax hikes.

Remember the gang of -- three of the people that you -- spent eight months sitting in a room with Democrats pretending to negotiate.

Tax increases in return for.

Entitlement reform and after a while even.

Coburn had to walk out of the room and admit that they were being offered nothing except tax increases.

The president's budget is nothing except tax increases the president's negotiating position is nothing except tax increases.

And Harry Reid who some of those senators might want to focus some of their attention on.

Has announced that won't be any entitlement reform.

So to argue that the tax -- should take the brunt of this battle and that they should not defend taxpayers but the spending interest in Washington.

Strikes me as odd the effort by some to get entitlement reform the -- right now -- said heck no hell no and Harry Reid is Saturday happening.

Got to look at that rather then.

Trying to raise taxes to pay for -- -- is bigger government and -- and it's for.

-- though -- -- -- about this before bed and you were open when we chatted in Washington.

-- -- -- it's all about the fiscal cliff -- -- not equating our reining in deductions or tax loopholes and the like closing those -- I think your point was as long as it leads eventually.

-- too you know.

Really haven't attacks governing Texas simpler but but this goes beyond that right they have no quid pro quo and they're offering this you argue what.

There there are two ways that you can damage the economy one -- to increase marginal tax rates everybody knows that that would.

An F five B the small business groups -- to kill 700000 jobs off the bat probably worse than that.

The other thing is to eliminate and -- a trillion I don't know I can't let a few deductions or credits.

That's not what a trillion dollars worth of deductions and credits that's what the other team wants.

If you do that you just killed tax reform for -- Generation Y.

how do you ever get the rates down if you don't have the deductions and credits.

What abolish hoping to do is.

Raise taxes spend the money kill tax reform for individuals.

What are you gonna tell these guys -- look like you know Eric Cantor and others who have the house majority -- been good talking increasingly about.

This is an option despite what you're saying are you are you going to -- to exact punishment on them in two years what.

The -- -- I think it's the -- been some that folks whose pictures you put out there.

Some of them hadn't had engaged in impure thoughts.

They haven't actually voted for attraction -- Let's be very clear cantor and Boehner said they want revenues from economic growth I want that all American should want that.

If we were growing at Reagan rates and set of Obama rates we have ten million people working.

And a lot more revenue in the in end -- -- let's get more revenue through growth.

But doesn't throw it at Warren Buffett disagrees with your notion that this would inhibit.

Investment in a column today said only -- Grover Norquist imagination does such.

A response exists what to make.

I can't.

Warren Buffett has made a lot of money some of that off of gaming the political system -- and that -- -- It insurance companies and then lobbies to raise the death tax which.

Drives people to buy insurance -- -- you can get rich playing that game but it's.

Small -- corrupt it's not investing it's playing.

Crony politics and economics that's a shame he's done the same thing with some green investing.

Shame on him for gaming the system and giving money to politicians who write rules that make your assets go up.

The real economy the real economy.

If he thinks that the government can take a dollar and then you go to an investor who doesn't have that dollar and it doesn't affect investment.

I'm sorry that's just -- and -- he plans on going to Obama and getting money from the stimulus package and he considers that investment.

I -- the government takes a dollar away from the American people.

Or trillion dollars after trillion dollars not available to be saved and invested and if I'm sorry if Buffett can't see that.

But that's kinda silly on his part.

What do you worry don't grow at a fairly or not you've been seen as that is unique powerful sort of like the wizard of odds figure who beneath enabled the key.

That Republicans.

In lockstep with your way of thinking and that.

With more -- especially prominent members -- it says something about what is -- for you -- -- In today's Washington -- it put it this way.

All will take is a few powerful Republicans to actually break the -- and the wall will come tumbling down the pledges strike at -- power.

Wise it is universal acceptance among.

Powerful Republicans if that falls so does north.

Just.

We could ask our President Bush George Herbert Walker Bush held his second term went after he broke his pledge.

Did -- damage the pledge.

Or did by breaking his pledge he lost -- second term for the presidency because he had not kept his word with the American people.

Because she raise taxes.

Because the Democrats promise to cut spending they didn't cut spending they did raise taxes they increase spending -- George Herbert Walker Bush increased taxes on the American people to increase spending.

Through the economy into recession and he couldn't get himself reelected.

-- -- I think people didn't forget that actually quite right they didn't forget that and they took it out and in the polls shortly thereafter but are you saying -- that you have a long memory.

I know and I don't wanna like -- -- Tony Soprano but you're gonna remember.

These guys -- turn on him.

Because nobody is turning on me I understand why Harry Reid.

Is trying to personalize it is Grover what Harry Reid doesn't want to say is the American people don't want their taxes raised they've elected a Republican congress opposed to raising taxes.

And I Harry reader are at odds with the American people and study hard and our -- -- on the tonight for me.

They are they're looking like they are.

So well retaliation -- you or recognition of the election or what.

OK first of all the promise on the pledge is to the American people what I've accomplished with Americans for Tax Reform.

Is to make it easy through the pledge for elected officials candidates and incumbents to credibly commit that they won't raise taxes.

Cork -- was elected to the senate because she took the pledge.

And people -- thought maybe he was too moderate maybe you wouldn't make it but he made that written commitment to the people at Tennessee he would not be senator today if he hadn't made that commitment.

If he breaks it he's gonna have to have a conversation for the people of Tennessee about.

-- -- keeping his word and the same thing with other people who are elected -- 'cause they made that written commitment.

To the people live there state that's I don't get a little and it's sort of threat.

-- -- I vote in Washington DC.

The people that cork or prime minister channel -- promised or or it Gramm promised aren't there -- state -- -- promised to meet any thing.

They promised the voters of their state that they would go to Washington and reform government.

Not raise taxes to pay for Obama's bigger government.

They need to focus on reforming government not I'm raising taxes to pay for bigger government each year.

And it's a lot of work it's not easily.

But throwing up your hands and saying I don't know maybe -- raise taxes instead of governing.

Is not the way to go out.

-- thank you very much.

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