They represent the most recent coup. Our longest running coup has been going on for decades. It came to fruition coming into 2016.
Yeah, the election of Barack Obama in 2008 escalated things for the Kochs. They created a whole new party to counter Obama. They used their Tea Party to take over the Republican Party - all the while keeping their eyes on 2016.
Prior to that, the Kochs were setting up a national structure.
What they failed to realize was that somebody else was developing an asset with an eye toward disrupting our entire political system in 2016.
There were others as well. 2016 was a banner year for government takeover.
But hey, this post is about a critical turning point in 1986. I want to focus on the bagman. The guy with the money. The guy who became the poster child for cognitive dissonance. Mr. Double Speak himself.
Grover Norquist founded (was the front man for) Americans For Tax Reform in 1985. In 1986, he introduced the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge".
First, you swear not to raise taxes.
Second, you swear not to eliminate or reduce tax deductions and credits unless you cut taxes by an equal amount.
Grover explains his the pledge in these words, "I'm not in favor of abolishing the government. I just want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."
The pledge title is a perfect example of double-speak. It's not about protecting taxpayers. The overwhelming majority of taxpayers are screwed by the pledge.
This pledge is all about making the rich richer at the expense of everyone who ain't rich.
Our population is growing. The cost of providing services is growing with it. We pay for those services with our taxes. If you freeze the taxes you don't allow for growth or compensate for changing economic conditions - there won't be enough money to cover our expenses.
As basic as this is, there's something people often miss when it comes to the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. It's kinda obvious, but no one seems to notice - like missing the forest for the tree.
The thing is, it puts limits on the actual oath of office that elected officials have to take. There is only one official, legitimate, patriotic oath of office and it should not be restricted or impaired.
I think Grover's oath precludes one from taking the oath "freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion" and bearing "true faith and allegiance to the same". Grover's oath is/has a problem. It's masking a coup.
Grover is the guy making the offer on behalf of the Kochs and others - the offer candidates can't refuse.
Why can't they refuse you ask? Well, those who initially did, found themselves challenged in primaries by extremely well funded challengers.
They found themselves the target of dirty tricks and misleading and dishonest attacks. They were simply blasted out of the water.
Yep, if you didn't sign Grover's oath, you got no money, you were challenged - you were toast - burnt toast.
So you thought that oath was simply about taxes? Well, it was never about saving you money. For the record, whatever tax benefits you may have gotten will expire in 2025.
Wanna buy a bridge? Here, have a piece of candy.
Hey, Grover's saving us all from Socialism. Welcome to the new Nationalism. Welcome to the Republican Party - America First baby!
Did I mention you actually have to trot over to Grover and sign the oath? It's like signing away your soul to the devil. Yeah, if you wanna run, Grover wants you.
Holy Moly!
