In this second installment of a series detailing the negotiations over the fiscal cliff, the plan was to enumerate the Republicans who are opposing anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist and breaking the pledge they signed promising never to raise taxes.
Those Republicans don't exist.
In the past few weeks, some Republicans have hinted that they might be willing to look at ways to increase revenues, perhaps through a reform of the tax code.
The hedging began with House Speaker John Boehner, who acknowledged that Congress might not be able to close the entire budget shortfall through spending cuts. Perhaps increases in revenue were necessary.
After that, two influential Southern Senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia both went on the record stating that they would violate Norquist's pledge for the good of the country, implying that they thought it would be better to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans to prevent the doomsday scenario heralded by the fiscal cliff-an across-the-board tax increase on everyone in the country who pays federal income tax, including those wealthy patrons.
And it seemed like the spirit of compromise was in the air.
But when the Republican leadership responded yesterday to President Obama's opening salvo, the included no tax hikes on Americans making over $250,000 a year, instead saddling the burden of closing the deficit on the backs of the middle class in the form of unspecified cuts to healthcare, popular tax deductions and social programs.
Norquist still holds a tight grip on Republicans.
His lobbying group, Americans for Tax Reform, has a massive and loyal following, and he has promised primary challenges for any Republican who violates the pledge.
Only last week, Chambliss told a Georgia television station that Norquist didn't control his vote. ""I care too much about my country - I care a lot more about it than I do Grover Norquist," he said.
But on Monday, Chambliss was backpedaling, assuring Norquist that he meant no disrespect, and that any disagreements they may have on taxes is very minor.
Chambliss is up for reelection in 2014.
When Republican Congressman Peter King of New York said he would consider violating the pledge, Norquist compared it to a wedding vow. This only made King angry, but he hasn't said anything about raising taxes since.
Republicans are in a difficult position. Norquist isn't budging on his pledge, and he'll do his best to make sure anyone who violates it is out of a job come reelection time.
But on Tuesday, Obama reiterated his insistence that any compromise on the fiscal cliff include tax hikes on the top 2 percent of earners-and not just the semblance of tax hikes closed loopholes and eliminated deductions, but a real increase in the marginal tax rate.
Obama wants it to climb from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, back where it was when Bill Clinton was president and the economy was booming.
And if he doesn't get his way, polls show the American public will blame not him, but Republicans for any ensuing damage to the economy.
Related Articles:
The 2012 Fiscal Cliff Negotiations - Part 1: What Happens If We Go Over? Fiscal Cliff Explained
Part 3 Tomorrow: What does billionaire investor Warren Buffett have to say about his tax rates climbing?
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