A View from Left Field-Beating a Dead Horse

I don’t normally like to beat a dead horse, but this one is alive and is trampling all over our democracy.  At least 230 or the 289 Republican members of Congress have signed Grover Norquist’s written pledge not to raise taxes.  Where is their loyalty?  Are they beholden to Grover or the American electorate?  How can Congress negotiate a fair and bi-partisan debt reduction plan when half of them, all Republicans, are lock step in line with Grover Norquist’s manifesto of no new taxes?  Grover once remarked that he “wanted to shrink government so small that he could drown it in a bathtub.”

Grover is not your run of the mill political operative, spending his monies to buy access.  He’s a lot more diabolical than that.  His sword slashes in many directions.  While flexing his muscles within the corridors of power by day, he still finds time to break bread with terrorists in the darkness of night. That’s right terrorists!  In the vernacular, Grover Norquist goes both ways.

Mr. Norquist’s love for country knows no bounds.  While chain ganging Republicans together in support his no new tax pledge, he flips on his other hat and operates as founder and former chairman of the Islamic Institute,  a major contributor to and supporter of  terrorist activities and organizations.  Grover Norquist’s close friend Abdurahman Alamoudi donated tens of thousands of dollars to Norquist’s Islamic Institute.  Mr. Alamoudi openly supports terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah and in 2004 began serving a 23 year sentence in federal prison for crimes against our country.  Interesting some unknown source has sought to reduce Mr. Alamoudi’s prison sentence.  Who could it be Grover?

I don’t know about you, but I am more than concerned that a man who gives marching orders to so many Congressman on Capital Hill, yet intentionally cavorts with our enemies.  Are you not saddened that some of our bravest young men come home daily in body bags while a power broker in Washington stonewalls debt ceiling deliberations in Congress while aiding and abetting Al Qaeda support groups.  Grover Norquist even facilitated a meeting between Abdurahman Alamoudi and then President George W. Bush before the former went to jail.

While Mr. Norquist’s associations with “jihadists” are extensive and documented (Google: Grover Norquist and “jihadist” causes) his motives are unclear. Possibly he’s attempting to draw Middle-east oil money into support for Republican causes.  In any event you can’t be on both sides of the fence in America’s war on terrorism.

It’s an interesting turn of events.  Grover has no problem raising money for groups that seek to destroy our country, yet resents our government from funding programs that help the majority of our people.  Unfortunately, 230 Republican automatons in our Congress are the kabuki puppets for Grover’s rant dance against higher taxes.

For openers, all of Congress should be beholden to the American people, not special interest groups that can and often have an agenda that's counter to national interests.  At various times the goals of the American people get out of focus relative to those who represent them.   All of Washington, Republicans and Democrats alike, need to work together to lift America out of the malaise we’re in.  If there was ever a need for this country to come together, the time is now!