Thompson and McCain said they doen't take pledges.
BUT.. Fifteen minutes earlier, Senator Thompson took a pledge to veto any bill that grants "amnesty".
Which is it Senator Thompson? You say that your Pledges are only to the American people. Have you even read the Taxpayer Protection Pledge? It's not long Sen. Thompson. You should be able to get through it in an afternoon.
It reads:
"I pledge to the taxpayers of the United States of America 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."
The pledge is to the American people. You took a pledge last night Senator Thompson, so you can't say you won't take pledges. Which taxes are you open to raising?
12 comments:
Fred is just...lost. I'm starting to feel bad for him. Can't he get a script for Aricept or something?
I agree with President Thompson,
Who know what the future will shower upon us, Thompson, is a conservative and has voted in the past and his past record is OK
with me.
Paul Caple
I know the future will not bring a need for tax increases.
We don't have a prayer of getting someone from the GOP elected who won't rule out tax hikes. There will be no way to create a distinction with hillary clinton.
Thompson's tax cut idea is great, but there is no way it is getting through a Democrat congress. I want to know he won't sign the enumerable little (and big) tax hikes the dems are going to send him every month.
I think it's a very easy pledge to sign if you're sincere about not raising taxes. The government takes in more money than it should be able to spend already. Any need for money can simply be diverted from earmarks and other wasteful spending.
Perhaps it just means that McCain and Thompson were the only two candidates who could remember some recent history and how the 'Read my lips ...' pledge wound up sinking George H. W. Bush.
You can make a stand and believe in something and fight for something without making promises and pledges that you may or may not be able to keep.
If -- by some freak occurrence -- there's a bill that's passed by Congress that secures the border by building a fence and increasing border patrols, says that amnesty and other benefits like 'in state' tuition and social security can never be given to illegal immigrants, overturns Roe v. Wade by returning the decision on abortion rights to the states, and/or allows us to explore within our own territory for oil to keep us from having to rely on our 'friends' in the Middle East, but has a rider attached that also raises taxes a marginal amount, I would personally prefer a President pragmatic enough to sign that freakin' bill.
Thompson's conservative voting record trumpets his conservative credentials louder than any 'pledge'.
Only 2 candidates talked about cutting and one of them has a history of tax increases. Ron Paul did pledge to never raise taxes and has a plan to cut govermnent spending. Imagine all they money from the Dept. of Education going to teachers. Imagine all the IRS and Dept of Energy and Homeland Security paychecks going to our Police and First responders.
Imagine our Military defending our borders here at home and policing our cities where we have our own civil wars. Imagine City building in America so we could safely go downtown at night. IMAGINE our kids being FREE to move about safely in their front yards. Imagine an FDA that we could trust to get MSG and other neurotoxins out of our foods and vacinations. Imagine an educated Baby Doctor not a polished career politician in the white house.
As far as Thompson's "conservative voting record" goes, he voted for the so-called assault weapon ban which was a stupid piece of legislation which has thankfully expired.
There is a difference between a paper pledge to not raise taxes and an oath of office taken to uphold the law, and that is the distinction ATR is failing to make.
Sen. Thompson by saying that he would pledge to keep the illegals out is acknowledging that this is the law as currently construed and he would pledge to uphold it. Of course he would, it's in the oath of office.
On the other hand, Norquist is asking candidates to make a blanket statement that they will not use increased taxation as a means of raising revenue, without regard to circumstances.
This is the danger in being a single issue voter. You throw the baby out with the bathwater if it isn't the exact temperature you like.
Frankly I trust Thompson's record and his ability to lead more than any of the other clowns up there.
So which is it, Mr. Norquist? Do you want a President who can lead us through these difficult times, or do you want a President who will make your pledge? I doubt you will get both.
--Geoff
Geoff-
You're wrong. Review the immigration question. It was a pledge to veto new legislation, and he took it.
Obviously, immigration is non-negotiable for Thompson, but tax increases aren't. They're on the table, unlike amnesty.
President Bush is a pledge signer, and that hasn't hampered him at all. In fact, I've been quite glad he signed when the SCHIP debate started to heat up.
Also on the Thompson conservative voting record, he supported the stupid, unconstitutional campaign finance law, so I don't think he is overly concerned about constitutional issues protections.
Still, I may vote for him in the end. Maybe he's the least worst. But I want him to sign the pledge. The irony is that the ones you need to sign the most are the ones that have to be forced into signing. I'm all behind Norquist twisting his arm.
No candidate will appeal to everyone any more than government trying to be everything to everyone.
Clearly, Fred Thompson is the only candidate that has well defined positions on the great variety of issues.
If y'all are looking for utopia, may I suggest visiting MoveOn.org to make your fantasies come true...NOT!
I for one am supporting Fred especially when I look closely at the alternatives...
What about Duncan Hunter? He is a candidate and a good one. I think it was very neglectful to omit him.
I'd rather have watched them on Fox. A viewer.
r. Thompson should promise not to increase taxes on the American taxpayers unless and only unless our national security becomes imminently endangered.
Bryan Williams
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