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Preview: The Pledge

August 23, 2012 8:00 AM

Steve Kroft interviews the man many blame for holding up the deficit-reduction process because of an anti-tax pledge that he enforces. Watch Kroft's report on "60 Minutes" Sunday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

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by D_O_R August 27, 2012 1:19 PM EDT
As attractive as the concept of no new taxes is, the problem with Norquist's pledge is simply that a rigid unchangeable strategy can never work in dynamic environment. The pledge is roughly the equivalent of a driver putting an RV on cruise control and then stepping away from the wheel to make coffee. This would not end well, even a straight road. With unsustainable debt and inaction in Congress, the downhill road our country is on is anything but straight. Our elected officials need to be able to react to problems rather than be bound to a pledge that is fundamentally flawed. Beyond Grover Norquist, whose impact is at least visible, there are a huge number of significantly less visible special interests that have considerable influence over elections and political decisions. This mix of special interests, which affect both parties, is killing America. DOR (http://www.dofr.org) provides a nonpartisan solution to fix government execution issues and to free officials from special interest obligations so that they can take actions for the good of our country and for the good of the citizens that elected them.
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by lawwjc August 26, 2012 7:54 PM EDT
No liberal defines "fair share" -- it just means "more." Taxpayer funding (I assume this means "more" and "federal") hasn't helped test scores in 40+ years. bit it has helped teachers' unions and their members. The "disenfranchisement" claim is pure bull. "Continued" deregulation is pure fiction -- Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank haven't accomplished anything. The total fiction of this comment is about the "purchase" of Supreme Court Justices, for which there is no evidence.
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by lawwjc August 26, 2012 7:47 PM EDT
Joe Biden is an insidious idiot, but not a greedy millionaire. His greed is for something else, and he needs to go.
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by winnie7195 August 26, 2012 7:30 PM EDT
The comparison between Pepsi and Coca Cola and the Republican party is ironic. Pepsi and Coca Cola make millions convincing people to choose products that are bad for them with catchy tag lines and flashy commercials. Apparently, Republican supporters, are doing the same - blindly choosing something that is bad for most of them because they are swayed by a catchy "no more taxes" tagline. Makes me realize how easily manipulated and gullible the American public really is. Pathetic.
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by lawwjc August 26, 2012 7:21 PM EDT
When you begin a segment by describing Grover Norquist as an "ideologue," you reveal your liberal bias. When have you used that term to describe Harry Reid or Barack Obanma? Obama has publicly admitted that increasing taxes on the rich doesn't produce more revenue, but argued that it's "fair." He's never defined "fair." What does it take for you to be even-handed?
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by ConradBaylor August 26, 2012 7:20 PM EDT
I can't remember when I've seen "60 Minutes" put on a more biased story than this one about Grover Norquist. It wasn't a report but a debate between Steve Kroft and Norquist -- with Kroft always giving himself the last word.

This story was of, by, and for those who have already concluded that Norquist is wrong by any measure.
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by trevorhughdavis August 26, 2012 1:56 PM EDT
Gimmie five, Grover...ahahaha...
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by martimidd August 24, 2012 9:51 PM EDT
I guess Grover has not developed mentally past the age of 12!
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by Bronette6 November 21, 2011 1:33 PM EST
The first oath these idiotic Senators and Representatives took was to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. It appears Jo Bonner, jeff sessions and richard shelby have lost sight of their oath and pledged allegiance to a new DESPOT. I concur with Senator Simpson, Norquist is a megalomaniac with egomaniacal obsessions. All these senators and representatives have to do is stand before their constituents, explain the grave error they have made, tear this inane pledge to pieces and say publicly, "NO, Grover Norquist, you will no longer control me or the people of the United States of America." Then stand your ground. Like all bullies he will slink away into the slime from whence he came.
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by oldmaned November 21, 2011 12:11 PM EST
This creep Norquist is just like every other 'cult' leader. They cater to the very weakest of individuals to follow their mixed up beliefs so that they - the leader - can benefit. Can you imagine the millions that this guy is accumulating for his own personal wealth just because these weak kneed (republican congressman)fell for, and signed, his "pledge"? It's like the Jim Jones group who agreed to drink the 'kool-aid' because they were too weak to stand up to their demented 'leader. I, for one, do not want such weak characters representing me in governing this country. The people who vote to re-elect such cultists to our congress deserve the fate that every other 'cult' offers. Eventual destruction!!
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