Norquist Defends McCain After Fiorina's Tax Raising Remarks

America's foremost anti-tax crusader is coming to John McCain's defense, after a high-ranking adviser to the Senator suggested that he would - if the conditions proved right - raise taxes on wealthy Americans.

Grover Norquist, the head of Americans for Tax Reform, said he was confident that McCain would not raises taxes should he become president.

"The one thing about McCain is that when he looks in the mirror he sees a guy who keeps his words I believe he will keep his word," Norquist told the Huffington Post. "McCain has made it very clear, repeatedly on air and on TV, read my lips no new taxes, no tax increases."

Such a vote of confidence carries significant weight in conservative circles, not just because Norquist and McCain have clashed in the past, but because there is still a healthy dose of skepticism concerning the Senator's economic policies (tied mainly to his one-time opposition to the Bush tax cuts). Top adviser Carly Fiorina added fuel to that fire when, in an interview with Bloomberg News, she said if a bipartisan coalition is "creative enough," a tax increase on wealthier Americans could be on the table.

"That is not McCain's position and he has made it very clear he will oppose and veto any tax increase. And you couldn't have a bipartisan measure that raises tax rates because 42 senators have all signed a statement not to raise the rate," said Norquist. "I assume that anyone who is speaking for the campaign will do so in a way that is consistent with McCain's position and if she is either misquoted or misspoke that should not in anyway reflect on McCain's consistent position on this subject."

Supplementing his remarks, Norquist had an aide send over documentary evidence of the three times McCain promised on national television to veto any tax increase.

"With the campaigns permission we have sent those three to everybody and their brother," Norquist noted. "So the presidential candidate McCain has made it clear, he has made it very clear, that he not only opposes any tax increase but will pursue three significant tax cuts."

Update: McCain aide, Taylor Griffin, has also distanced the Senator from Fiorina's remarks, telling ABC News:

"The lesson of history is that too many specifics at this point polarize the debate, that is the argument Carly was trying to make. However, John McCain does believe that we can fix Social Security without raising taxes. As president, John McCain will call on Congress to develop a bi-partisan solution to Social Security -- and if they won't, he will."

Comments

[helonias]

So we will just borrow more from the Chinese to fight the evil doers

[metalpipe]

Taxes must be raised in some areas (gas tax, eliminating the Bush tax cuts, etc...). The national debt must be paid,and we must stop our spendthrift ways. Anyone who believes we can, as a nation, survive the debt we are in for a sustained period is fooling themselves. Just wait until the interest payments on our debt equal the money we spend on our govt programs.

If we don't re-educate our public, it will have a debilitating effect on any economic recovery, and may make paying our debt an effort in futility. The current congressional 'old guard' must be replaced by people not beholden to lining their pockets (and the pockets of their buddies in the military industrial complex) with our hard earned tax dollars; people who are concerned about the welfare of our children.

Oh, and let's not forget about saving this blue ball we are living on, it's the only home we have.

[NoOneSpecial]

This man is the poster child of lavish government spending for the rich and not a damn penny for anyone else.

[Piatt]

Why is Jack Abramoff's bagman commenting on McCain's tax proposals rather than serving time?

[eNewsReference]

...just another example of folks saying and doing whatever it takes to gain power in America... http://www.enewsreference.com

[JiminNC]

Norquist should be sharing a cell with Abramoff.

[nodonjuan]

And Scooter Libby.

[Totto]

Having recently been to Russia, the infrastructure of the United States is in a similar condition.
Hobbled by war debt and the mortgage loan crisis, it seems unlikely that this country will ever again be competitive with the other industrialized countries of Europe and Asia. Certainly not with a sociopath like Grover Norquist in the vicinity of the ruling elite.

[JiminNC]

I ahve also been to Russia and recently. I think you may be overstating the issue a bit. While, we are in decline, there is really no honest comparison of the infrstructures.

[metalpipe]

Agreed. Russia is awash in new money, like the Arab states, but does not have the infrastructure nor the educated public that we have. As scattered as our national psyche may seem at the moment, we only have to pull in the reins on the corporate greed, disband the military industrial complex, and reduce our national debt to an acceptable level in order to right this wrong. Some hard political and social work in the ME and trying our current administration for war crimes wouldn't hurt. Fairly taxing the wealthy is a no-brainer, and is certainly forthcoming during Obama's presidency.

[Americanium]

Hogan's Heroes Sgt. Shultz..

[Tommygun264]

And why should any of us care about what Grover Norquist says? The man has about as much credibility as William Kristol.

[TroubleNYC]

He sounds like a lil kid.

"I just look at McCain and I know he wont raise my taxes. I just know it in my heart!"

lmao

[nodonjuan]

Ya just gotta believe him, ya just gotta..........

[exflatlander]

And this is what passes for patriotism on the right? The country badly in debt, the taxpayers having to bail out banks, and no end of Bush's wars in sight, and he thinks it's the right thing for the wealthiest Americans NOT to pay taxes for the problems his misguided ( to put it generously) party created?

[openhand]

Enron posted gains by including sale of capital as profit.

Bush?McCain post 0.01% growth rate by not including cost of war, deffering the debt to china for this and sub prime to the next generation.

[openhand]

read my lips....

[BEHM777]

Why isn't Grover in Jail?

BEHusseinM777

[GuyFawkes]

Read my lips: No new Czechoslovakia!

[metalpipe]

LOL, good post.

[Bluedog12]

Hey Grover tell Ralph the Indians want their money back. For some reason Abrahamoff isn't returning their phone calls.