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Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist on the tax hikes in the fiscal cliff deal and the need to now focus on spending cuts.
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-- -- Well returning to the fiscal -- my next guest says the 85 Republicans who voted in favor of that deal.
Didn't violate his anti tax pledge joining us now Grover Norquist president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Author of the taxpayer protection pledge -- happy new year good to have you with us.
Usually -- to -- were off to quite a run here first piece of legislation.
In the new year.
Adds four trillion dollars to the national debt.
That's not good is it.
It's not and as you know we live in this topsy turvy world up until now where.
If nothing happened if the president just shot on its hands.
We -- gonna have a five trillion dollar tax increase because the 2001.
Tax cuts in the 2003 tax cuts in the AMT patch all ended on the first of January.
-- unless congress did something would have a five trillion dollar tax increase over the decades out.
They cobble together this effort that -- scrape about 85%.
Of the tax cut.
Back.
But because of that because the president was in that position of big gamble to stop anything from happening we ended up that today rates are higher on the top 1% than they were before.
And we now move to the real issue the next -- -- at which is spending.
And I went and met here in Atlanta that way and that way we don't think educate and service now.
If we're going to if we're gonna -- on to the next real issue in the first real issue crosses four trillion.
What role Republicans deliver on the real.
The next real issue because we can't afford to keep doing these four trillion dollar deals that make so much sense to everybody.
In Washington but no sense of all to everybody outside of Washington.
Well here's to goodness in the first thing I would tell me what.
Therefore fights.
The first one the president held all the cards because.
It -- long as she didn't sign something there was a five trillion dollar tax increase the question is how little.
Damage could you get away with because he held all the cards than the -- -- right.
I stopped -- The Republican Party voted for that.
They bought into first that they put forward a temporary tax -- Then they put forward I -- full participation knowing and is wise and learned is all those Republicans are.
A short term extension they knew precisely the date that that extension would.
Expire.
There was no big yields no we don't want proper -- around the facts of the time line here today.
Well our -- yeah I do Republicans I guess I'm saying are they so direct.
A vision intelligence and understanding and leadership.
That they're just being outmaneuvered.
By President Obama and the Democratic Party and he should they perhaps retire from the field because they're not winning very much here.
I get the reason why that the tax cuts lapsed.
In in on January 1 wise that the Democrats in the senate under bush in 20012003.
Would.
All voted against it so you couldn't get the sixty -- you needed.
For a permanent tax cut they can only deal with 51 Republican votes and that can only happen I -- my -- wind up and am I mistaken.
Did not -- Republicans control both houses of congress 2001 through 2006.
And my Iraq -- but you but given the senate rules.
You can only have -- tax are out for ten years with 51 about I -- in budget try.
-- and then why it's necessary for us to watch the debt go up another four trillion dollars -- let me be serious about this I -- it really is stunning.
We are watching.
A bunch of folks haggling over whether they're increasing taxes are not increasing taxes which frankly is of no moment to me so long as its rational and in the national interest.
Right now -- -- watching a government this whole congress.
On the Republican side was supposed to be against limited government smaller government.
From 20010.
Now we just watch this thing explode.
And I seen nothing yet changing that direction.
That actually hit several things are moving in the right direction -- -- -- outlook.
-- this -- cheery grope her but I'm out perfectly frustrated.
At -- -- copper it's ability of the actions being taken by both Republican and the democratic party's I think millions of Americans.
Our by the way right beside me -- that their confusion and frustration it.
It is I -- this -- -- and.
