Grover Norquist on Ted Cruz: ‘He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away’

[kpete]

Grover Norquist on Ted Cruz: ‘He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away’
By Ezra Klein, Published: October 2 at 2:58 pm


Grover Norquist is the president of Americans for Tax Reform and the creator of the anti-tax pledge that nearly every Republican in Congress has signed. We spoke on Tuesday about the government shutdown and its consequences for his agenda.

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GN:The only confusion that comes out is that Cruz stood on the side and confused people about the fact that every Republican agrees. He said if you don’t agree with my tactic and with the specific structure of my idea, you’re bad. He said if the House would simply pass the bill with defunding he would force the Senate to act. He would lead this grass-roots movement that would get Democrats to change their mind. So the House passed it, it went to the Senate, and Ted Cruz said, oh, we don’t have the votes over here. And I can’t find the e-mails or ads targeting Democrats to support it. Cruz said he would deliver the votes and he didn’t deliver any Democratic votes. He pushed House Republicans into traffic and wandered away.

So then the House said, breaking completely with Cruz because Cruz thinks if you’re not defunding the whole thing it’s treason, that there’s delay. There’s getting rid of medical device taxes. They’ve done a series of things to hold together Republicans and break with Cruz. But because we started with the Cruz approach this got to the shutdown.

A transcript of conversation, edited for length and clarity:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/02/grover-norquist-ted-cruz-pushed-house-republicans-into-traffic-and-wandered-away/

[Dawson Leery]

1. Grover is one of the kingpins behind this insanity.

He promoted jackals such as Ted Cruz to walk into the traffic.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. Actually, he also arranged to have traffic on that street at that time.

As I posted this morning

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023765595

^snip^

I think this is really a power struggle within the Republican Party.

I also now believe that it won't end until one side wins and that side will most probably be the Teabaggers.

[Kber]

3. Well if this doesn't merit popcorn, I don't know what does.

But to be fair, I remember clearly that Grover warned that this would happen and strongly urged the GOP not to follow Cruz's lead.

Oh wait, no I don't.

[louis-t]

4. The insane babbling of a criminal Narcissist.

Talking about an ignorant, inexperienced, impatient nutjob.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. So speaks the human cartoon

He's one of yours Grover.

[progressivebydesign]

6. Norquist is filthy rich from his dog and pony show...

He doesn't want people to pay taxes, he wants them to send money to his faux think tank instead. But love this analogy!!

[Arkana]

7. You created this monster, Grover. No sympathy.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

8. there are so many things wrong with this photo and his stupid statements

for one, I saw him standing with Vitter talking about some other fucked up amendment coming out of the house the day the government shut down.

And he's got the Guy Fawkes mask? But he's talking about Ted Cruz blowing up government?

This little Napolean-wannabe is lower than shit.

[JHB]

9. Say, is the Guy Fawkes mask covering his bust of Lenin?

No, wait, that was a portrait. Maybe the bust is Ronnie, which would be kinda appropriate... (that he's a bust, that is).

[tavernier]

10. Yes, piss on him using the Fawkes mask!

He thinks he is fighting fascists? Look in the mirror, lunatic.