Preview: Mickey Edwards on the Immaturity of Anti-Tax Ideology

December 4, 2012

In a preview of this weekend’s Moyers & Company, former Republican congressman Mickey Edwards talks about Grover Norquist’s beguiling ability to hold elected officials to absolute anti-tax positions. “It’s not conservatism, not rational, not adult,” Edwards tells Bill. “It’s a 12-year-old’s kind of thinking.”

Edwards chaired the Republican Policy Committee, was a founding trustee of the conservative Heritage Foundation, and served as the national chairman of the American Conservative Union.

Watch the full interview this weekend on Moyers & Company. Click here to find show times and channels in your area.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/linda.turner.399 Linda Turner

    I believe that the Republican tax policy in the name of protecting the job creators and the Constitution’s so-called small government mandate is just a front for trying to starve the federal government so that the services it now provides through taxes can be privatized. That’s where the 1% will make its real money, not in saving the 4% more in taxes that might be levied against them. It’s been proposed for Medicare and Social Security, and the rest would be on the chopping block. Any way to squeeze out more profits for corporation at the expense of the 99%. That’s why they’re digging in their heels.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1498911654 Emma Juliano Ramos

    just curious, if abramoff went to jail, why not norquist and reed???

  • seeg

    Conservatives believe that the rich will work harder if give them more and the poor will work harder if you give them less (EJ Dionne Jr.). Even a 12 year old who possesses any common sense can see the fallacy in this.

  • Roy Cuellar

    Norquist’s pledge by his own admission is an attempt to reduce Government to a Pre Teddy Roosevelt 4-5% of GDP budget. This means zero social net programs and a return to Gilded Age regulatory practices.

  • Linda Dehnert

    What is the purpose? It has not trickled down nor has it provided more jobs! :(

  • Anonymous

    Exactly. 12 year old thinking. It’s part of the “hold my breath until I get what I want” philosophy.

    Amazingly, it works for Republicans and little kids.

  • Jim

    So, I never signed Grover Norquest ridiculous tax pledge. so why do extremely wealthy grownups hoarders of cash think they should be allowed to not pay. I say 45% since the idea our Social Security age should go up to 67? Lets all grow up and like garage sales get rid of your excess money to pay debt, leave the Social Security age stay the same and stop your non-scence.There was a time when people looked up to the wealthy. And Jobs never has appeared because of you have tax breaks. Interesting.

  • Perry Morgan

    Instead of discussing the tax situation in terms of the 1% or 2%, Why not return to a graduated income tax rate equitable to all citizens. Even a negative tax should be considered for the poor. They have not been considered in any of the discussion by either party that I have heard.