Grover Norquist is widely respected as one of the nation’s leading taxpayer advocates. As President of Americans for Tax Reform, he has been leading the charge in Washington, D.C., and in the states against new taxes. He has penned this exclusive column for FlashReport readers in light of the current over-spending crisis in Sacramento…
IN TAX TALK, TEMPORARY MEANS PERMANENT; BUT IN CALIFORNIA THE GOP CAN STOP ANY TAX INCREASE
By Grover Norquist
The History of Americans for Tax Reform’s No Tax Hike Pledge
In 1985 president Reagan asked me to run Americans for Tax Reform — to be the grassroots lobby for what became the Tax Reform Act of 1986 that lowered marginal tax rates to 15% and 28%. We worried during this campaign that when tax deductions and credits were permanently removed the lower rates might drift upward.
So I created the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" asking all incumbents and candidates for federal office to sign the pledge promising in writing to oppose and vote against tax rate increases. We had 20 Senators and 100 Congressmen sign the pledge in 1986. President Reagan called on all candidates to sign the pledge.
In 1988, George H.W. Bush signed the pledge in the primaries and followed up by also saying "read my lips no new taxes." This helped him defeat Bob Dole who refused to sign the pledge prior to the New Hampshire primary.
But in 1990, President Bush broke his pledge working with the Democrats in Congress to broker a "compromise" that increased taxes and increased spending. This deal was worked out at Andrews Air Force Base.
The tax hikes passed. Spending increased. Some Republicans in the House and Senate voted for the tax increase "deal." Bush lost the 1992 election when Ross Perot ran as a third party candidate. Remember, tax increase advocate Bill Clinton only won 43% of the vote.
In 1993, Clinton raised taxes again. Only Democrats in the House and Senate voted for his tax hike. More than 95% of all Republican candidates for the House and Senate signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. So in 1994 voters knew who to blame for the tax hikes and knew where the GOP stood. As a result the GOP won the House and Senate and held them for 12 years.
The history of the pledge tells Republicans: Sign the pledge, win the primary. Sign the pledge, win the general. Break the pledge, lose re-election. Keep the pledge, get re-elected.
If the Democrats want to raise taxes and you are stupid enough to have your fingerprints on the deal–as in 1990–then you lose your ability to distinguish your party from the Democrats.
But if you make it clear that the Democrats are alone in wishing to raise taxes as in 1993–and Republicans stand with taxpayers–then the Republicans win the next election.
Since the 1993 Democrat tax hike and the Republican unity in signing the pledge (Bush signed it in 1990) and all but a handful of Republican Senators and Congressmen signed the pledge by 1994) there has not been a tax hike enacted in Washington, D.C. That is a fifteen year period without a national tax hike from 1993 to today. This is the longest period of American history without a tax increase going back to George Washington.
The Pledge and California Budget Politics
Last Spring I traveled to Sacramento and spoke at a press conference held by the Republican Senate and Assembly Caucuses. Senator Tom McClintock and Assemblywoman Mimi Walters had organized all the Republicans but one (Assemblyman Niello) — to publicly sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge promising to "oppose and vote against any and all taxes."
This made it clear that Republicans in the Assembly and the Senate had the votes to stop a two-thirds vote for higher taxes. They still do if they keep to their word and oppose and vote against any and all efforts to raise taxes.
Putting a tax hike on the ballot is "an effort to raise taxes."
This is becoming and old and tired tick of the tax and spenders…they spend so much money that they overspend what they take in taxes. They do this by such a large amount that to fix it by cutting back on the growth of spending would inconvenience many special interest groups who shout loudly. Then the politicians who created this mess by spending too much throw the mess into the laps of the voters and–giving them one and only one solution–higher taxes—say "you fix it."
Putting a tax hike on the ballot and asking taxpayers to "choose" is like the choice offered Gary Gillmore in Utah: would you like to be shot or hanged.
The Governor and legislators were elected to control spending. They should do their job.
We now hear of the, "I would glad pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today," strategy of asking voters to agree to a big tax hike today for a "promised" tax cut in the future. Can those advocating such taxes give examples of where this has actually been done in the other 49 states over the past 200 years? Every example I can think of saw the legislatures in Michigan, Massachusetts, etc. cancel the promised tax cuts of the future.
Again, transparent in its intent. Tired and old in having been done before.
"The check is in the mail."
"I will love you in the morning."
"I will pay you back someday."
The taxpayers of California have to say "no." And ‘no" again. they have to keep saying No until the legislators tire of new "lines" to sell their tax hike. The pro-tax hike legislators are like teenage boys on a prom date. They keep asking the same question in different ways hoping to get a "yes." It doesn’t do any good to say "no, no, yes." we have to keep saying "NO" until they learn we mean it.
LINK TO THE PLEDGE
LINK TO THOSE WHO SIGNED THE PLEDGE (.pdf)
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