Jon Bruning Joins Ben Nelson in Signing Right-Wing Tax Pledge

by: Kyle Michaelis

Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 19:59:41 PM CST

With very close ties to the Bush Administration, right-wing think tanks and powerful lobbying interests, it should come as little surprise that Norquist has become something of a kingmaker in Republican politics.  Serving as President of ATR, his highest profile and most successful scheme has been the crafting of the so-called Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which is supposed to force politicians to "put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing."

Specifically, the pledge reads:

I ,____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____ district of the State of _________ and to the American People that I will:

ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and

TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.

Now comes word that Nebraska Attorney General and 2008 Senate candidate Jon Bruning has signed the pledge.  Suddenly, one can't help but wonder where he falls in that equation.

Bruning joins the ranks of 2006 Senate loser Pete Ricketts by taking ATR's pledge.  I could have fun with that from now through the end of the 2008 campaign, except - in Nebraska - it actually turns out that every one of our current federal officeholders have taken the pledge as well.  That includes Democratic Senator Ben Nelson, one of only five Democrats in Congress and the only Democratic U.S. Senator fool enough to play Norquist's anti-government game.

Then, there's Ben Nelson.  Isn't that just swell?

Of course, it doesn't seem as if signing ATR's pledge really has much meaning.  Both Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith have been accused of breaking their pledge to constituents this year - Fortenberry on two separate votes.  And, Nelson has been a target for ATR as well, though they don't seem to have gone after him for personally violating his pledge - probably because he's more use to them as a Democratic Senator they can claim as one of their own to justify the absurd idea they are anything more than a Republican front group.

Some of Norquist's choicest quotes include:

"Every time you cut programs, you take away a person who has a vested interest in high taxes and you put him on the tax rolls and make him a taxpayer. A farmer on subsidies is part welfare bum...."

"Our goal is to shrink government to the size where we can drown it in a bathtub.

"We are trying to change the tones in the state capitals - and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship."

Although I don't know the details, I must note that Nelson need not have signed this pledge recently.  According to ATR, "it is considered binding as long as an individual holds the office for which he or she signed the Pledge."  So, I'd guess that Nelson signed it during his 2000 campaign.  In fact, partaking in this stupid and irresponsible gimmick might even have saved Nelson's election by taking that last weapon away from Republican candidate Don Stenberg.

I don't know.  I don't remember.  I do know that Nelson should have the courage to formally rescind his pledge - apologizing to voters but also taking the opportunity to denounce ATR and everything they stand for as right-wing, anti-government demagogues.

If that's what Jon Bruning wants to be, he can go right ahead. I'll certainly expect no better from Mike Johanns, who was already hailed by ATR as "a friend of taxpayers" when he was Governor in 2002.  In tough budget times, they honored Johanns for making sure that low-income Nebraskans were cut from Medicaid.  Some friend, eh?

Honestly, the pandering to extremists and irresponsible sloganeering of which ATR's pledge is such a perfect example should be right up Johanns' and Bruning's alleys.  It's just sad that I can't make that point without denouncing Ben Nelson, our (d)emocratic Senator, at the exact same time.