You're watching...

Can the Fiscal Cliff Be Avoided Without a Tax Increase?

Details

  • Description

    Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist on why politicians should take a stronger stance against tax hikes.

  • Duration 5:30
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest Video

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

So when members of the Republican congress say we're gonna signing no -- pledge so that we don't.

Ask a dime.

For -- millions to reduce our deficit so we can still invest in education.

And helping kids go to college.

He -- me too.

Aniston signing pledges to Grover Norquist not to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute to bring back the middle class they should be signing a pledge saying to middle class four -- level the playing field.

It's that they that they keep mentioning your name accepted anyway the debate stirred heated debate about Robert -- -- and that no tax.

Hike plants.

It didn't stop there.

But you don't have to use the -- word that ditch Grover Norquist choose -- And we wandered around here through Detroit chief you don't do what tax increase that that you do not an art what's that no I'm not because anybody that would shine some.

Ten or fifteen years before they deal with the issue what should you shouldn't even be in congress.

Republicans -- Perhaps this -- seems to take you from both sides that of Americans are taxable weren't.

Grover Norquist with me to respond now.

Well here you you do seem to draw a lot of attention Grover what -- August.

Well the taxpayer protection pledge which I've shared was elected officials and candidates for 25 years now.

Puts -- stop.

Can get -- with the Democrats have had for a long time but Democrats Jewish expend a lot of money run up debt than they turn to the Republicans and say.

Why don't we solve our problem.

By raising taxes and -- Republicans are stupid up but their fingerprints on a tax increase they can lose the next election and play the game again.

The Democrats did this to the Republicans and 82.

When they.

-- Reagan in nine B when they fooled bush and then bush lost the next election.

And they tried to do it.

During the Obama administration.

And the problem was -- Republican said.

We're not raising taxes and Obama's ability to understand I spent five trillion dollars now you have to raise taxes -- -- had no.

We want to do the Ryan plan or something like the Ryan plan reforming government spending down.

We're not gonna raise taxes to pay for Obama Biden government.

And would you say that to the Democrats Joseph Biden and drove Obama they -- very very frustrated.

And there are a handful of Republican collaborators who over time have wanted to be.

To cut idea like that and they get even more frustrated because they know that they're supposed to know better.

So let's say we're faced a situation near the end of this year.

Where they're just about ready to score -- deal.

And the only thing blocking it is.

Republicans' insistence of Grover Norquist insistence.

That's our taxes on the rich not be raised in other words the bush tax rates not revert to what they were for the upper income.

They know they'll blame you or government shut down -- blame you for the financial Armageddon not that we're told the ratings agency will say law will unveil that.

-- what he said.

Well I wish we'd been strong enough back in 1982 to stop that that deal.

And I'd have loved it and take now I'm 40000 suits -- to not a number 8080 -- a baby care when they cheated cheated dragon.

Nine -- when they cheated bush and got him to break his commitment we weren't strong enough that.

Now the modern Republican Party enough people have taken the pledge not to raise taxes that in 2011.

The -- we just passed.

Obama said he was gonna shut the government down to not pay our debts and little.

We did let's say he's reelected Grover does he will have.

Stronger rock to stand on by that some Republicans -- You know -- said well that might be paraphrasing here a mandate for him to the elections have consequences and that event the consequences would be.

We go ahead and raise taxes -- on the wealthy that Republicans would be probably in your view.

Willing to fold on that what what what would you think.

What we we don't have to ask what if we know that two years ago out 2010 we -- exactly that situation Obama was the president.

Democrat senate Republicans -- the house what was the agreement.

Continue all the bush tax cuts out two years unchanged.

If Obama got himself reelected despite his bad track record.

In this fall early next year we would be and exactly the same place we were two years ago Republican House strong Republican.

In the -- maybe not a majority -- -- stronger Republican numbers say democratic president what will that what will they -- Exactly what they did two years ago they'll continue the bush tax cuts -- two years why.

Because the Democrats in the senate are terrified.

That in 2014.

The next election twenty Democrats up for election.

Ten of whom were in very Republican states.

If they try and raise taxes if they shut the government down.

Because they're having a hissy that that they insist on their little tax increase and that they'd rather shut the government down -- not get their tax increase the Democrats -- get wiped out in the senate.

In 2014 interest reiterated a Democrat senators and about -- Obama and -- you signed the extension.

We did it for you two years ago you do it for us now.

Grover thank you very -- says.