At The Nation, Ari Berman writes, Grover Norquist's Culture of Corruption:
Grover Norquist is once again playing kingmaker, determining not just the direction of the Republican Party but of the entire US economy. His anti-tax zealotry has made it virtually impossible for Republicans to cut a sensible deal to raise the debt ceiling. But just yesterday, Norquist seemingly flip-flopped and said that the expiration of the Bush tax cuts would not violate his anti-tax pledge, leavingthe door open to Republicans supporting a ?grand bargain? deal to cut spending, lower corporate taxes and restructure Social Security and Medicare, which sounds like an awfully good offer for the GOP (for Democrats, not so much). The White House is using Norquist to bolster its case while every reporter in Washington is amplifying his words. Norquist has since walked his original statement back.
Grover Norquist/DonkeyHoteyI?ve got another question: who cares what Norquist says and why does he still have any credibility left? Just a few years ago he was a central player in the Jack Abramoff scandal, using his connections to launder nearly $1 million from Abramoff?s Indian tribe clients to conservative activist Ralph Reed and Christian anti-gambling groups who were fighting a proposed state lottery in Alabama, according to an extensive report by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
?Call Ralph re Grover doing pass through,? Abramoff wrote in an e-mail reminder to himself in 1999. In return, Norquist?s organization, Americans for Tax Return (ATR), took a piece of the cut. ?What is the status of the Choctaw stuff?? Norquist wrote to Abramoff that same year. ?I have a 75g hole in my budget from last year. ouch.? [...]
Indian tribes say Mr. Abramoff dropped Mr. Norquist?s name when he began trying to win their business. Mr. Norquist used his platform to argue against taxing Indian gambling. Mr. Abramoff billed the tribes tens of millions of dollars to try to fend off antigambling groups and regulators and to send members of Congress on lavish overseas trips. The tribes say Mr. Abramoff also instructed them to give money to Mr. Norquist?s groups as way of getting an audience with the Bush administration. ...
At Daily Kos on this date in 2003:
In a moment of pure irony, Dep. Sec Def and PNAC co-captain, Paul Wolfowitz, wants other countries to leave Iraq alone."I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq," said Wolfowitz, who is touring the country to meet U.S. troops and Iraqi officials.The Iranians replied thusly: "hypocrite""Those who want to come and help are welcome," he said. "Those who come to interfere and destroy are not."
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