Suck it, Norquist!

[Admiral Yi]

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar Yi!

That still leaves all the times it's not.

[Zoupa]

 

[Razgovory]

I was asking you.

I don't believe you.  Based on the position in the thread and your posting history I figure it was either an attempt to defend Obama's position or an attempt to indict me for inconsistency.

You don't believe that I was in fact asking you?  The previous post seems to indicate I was.  I was asking a question and in response to your post.  I don't know how much clearer I could be.  Do you think I was not asking it in good faith?  Why would you think that?  Were you asking questions not in good faith?  I have no problem with raising taxes on everyone, especially Cal.  I never heard of a Schumer class of people.  As I really don't understand it, I would have a hard time defending it.

[DGuller]

Seriously, these Lincoln-Douglas debates between Raz and Yi are getting tiresome.  These two individual shticks, tiresome enough on their own, are ten times as tiresome when combined together.

[jimmy olsen]

Are you talking about the hedge fund taxes that Schumer is pushing for?

I'm talking about the Bush tax rates on people making less than 200K that Obama promised not to raise.

Why would you want that?

[Admiral Yi]

Do you think I was not asking it in good faith?

I just said as much.

[Admiral Yi]

Why would you want that?

Deficit reduction.

[merithyn]

Seriously, these Lincoln-Douglas debates between Raz and Yi are getting tiresome.  These two individual shticks, tiresome enough on their own, are ten times as tiresome when combined together.

Agreed.

Get out of my thread with your shenanigans!

[derspiess]

Do you think I was not asking it in good faith?  Why would you think that? 

I'm not Yi, but I'm guessing it's your track history.

[jimmy olsen]

Why would you want that?

Deficit reduction.

How low do you want to go? To people making a $150k, a $100k? Lower?

How much do you think can be done without damaging the economy?

[Admiral Yi]

How low do you want to go? To people making a $150k, a $100k? Lower?

Everyone.  Restore the Clinton tax ratyes.

How much do you think can be done without damaging the economy?

None.  Did you think there was such a thing as pain-free deficit reduction?

[Razgovory]

Do you think I was not asking it in good faith?

I just said as much.

Perhaps you are projecting.

[Razgovory]

Do you think I was not asking it in good faith?  Why would you think that? 

I'm not Yi, but I'm guessing it's your track history.

What about his?

[Razgovory]

Seriously, these Lincoln-Douglas debates between Raz and Yi are getting tiresome.  These two individual shticks, tiresome enough on their own, are ten times as tiresome when combined together.

I guess that means, Yi finally paid you off.

[alfred russel]

God, how I hate that man! I don't get how he has nearly as much power as he seems to have, and I'm absolutely fucking thrilled to see it diminished.

He gets his power the same way autocrats get their power:  through sheer terror.  As long as only a few politicians are willing to defy him at any one time, they will pay dearly.  His power will end the same way most dictators' power ends:  either by death, or by massive revolt by the subjects who all at once understand that the only thing they have to fear is fear itself.

And I will second what others are saying.  It's nice that politicians are speaking publicly about defying him, since that's already an act of defiance.  However, the proof will come by them telling Grover to fuck off by actually voting.

I don't think Norquist necessarily has the power. It is just that a sizeable section of the Republican electorate doesn't care about anything other than tax rates, and Norquist speaks to their concerns. If a bunch of them defy Norquist and vote to raise taxes, a bunch of them will get primaried, and the campaign against them won't be about how they defied Norquist but that they voted to raise taxes.

In the Republican Party today, you can discuss ending social security and medicare as we know it all you want and be just fine. Raising taxes is the real third rail.