Saxby Chambliss: ‘I care more about the country than a 20-year-old anti-tax pledge’
As the nation began to shut down for Thanksgiving Day, U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss tackled that anti-tax increase pledge he once signed – the one pushed by Grover Norquist and Americans for Tax Reform. From 13WMAZ in Macon:
From the TV station’s website:
“I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” Chambliss says. “If we do it his way then we’ll continue in debt, and I just have a disagreement with him about that.”
….Does Chambliss think Norquist will hold the anti-tax pledge against him during his next re-election bid in 2014? Yes.
“But I don’t worry about that because I care too much about my country. I care a lot more about it than I do Grover Norquist,” Chambliss says.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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151 comments Add your comment
Jack ®
November 23rd, 2012
8:07 am
If this blog represents a true cross-section of tax payers whose earnings are reported on a W-2 and are less than $250K annually, it appears they are truly irritated at those that do make more than $250K annually on a W-2. Those fortunate enough to earn salaries that exceed $250K annually are going to a 39.6% bracket up from a 35% bracket if the present tax rates expire. And they’ll pay an additional 3.8% surtax to Medicare. I don’t understand the irritation. I don’t understand why small businesses will have to pay employee insurance. I don’t understand why some indicate in blogs that free healthcare is a “right”. But I do understand that raising the tax on the”wealthy” is NOT going to reduce the national debt. And I do understand that expanding the welfare state is NOT going to reduce the national debt.
JMH
November 23rd, 2012
8:15 am
Jack- your exactly correct in your analysis. This raise tax on the rich campaign is designed to stoke the anger and jealousy of those who make less as a way to stick it to these evil rich people. What they don’t realize is that those are the people who sign their paychecks and decide whether they have a job or not. Be careful what you wish for! This will do nothing to help our national debt, deficit, or unemployment situation. The American people as a whole are clueless!
Edmund Ruffin
November 23rd, 2012
8:16 am
Likewise, I care more about our country than to vote for Chambliss again. Chambliss is becoming more and more RINO and should consider retiring. Tom Price, Tom Graves or Paul Broun would be good material for replacement.
roughrider
November 23rd, 2012
8:45 am
Saxby knows where his bread is buttered. Grover Norquist does not give Saxby money like the corporations of Georgia.
JONES
November 23rd, 2012
8:48 am
Enter your comments hereMakes sense; however, the country’s debt is shared by everyone, not just the rich. We all will need to be part of fixing it. All tax payer will need to pay more… All tax receivers should be prepared to receive less….. Obama needs to actually submit a budget that decreases the debt and stick to it….
Jim Tavegia
November 23rd, 2012
8:51 am
Libertylover, what are you drinking. The Dems have spent us into this mess we’re in and your boys, Dodd and Frank are the ones who headed the Senate Banking Committee while the Banks gave away crazy mortgage money and let Wall -Street run a muck, but you’ll never own up to your mistakes. Now Ohioans voted for O because he saved GM? Really. Last I looked GM is rated as “Junk Bond” status on Wall Street and is worth just over $26, when we taxpayers paid $57 a share for it. I know who is foolish. GM doesn’t have enough money to pay us back and they still make cars no one wants. You Dems have ruined this country with your leftist life-styles. Make what ever you want to do legal and then you feel better about yourselves. May you be happy in the life you have chosen.
JMH
November 23rd, 2012
9:00 am
Jones, correct but it’s not popular to ask anyone other than the “rich” to pay more. This country is moving towards a majority who want more stuff but aren’t willing to contribute. To me if you don’t pay taxes you shouldn’t be able to vote. We can’t afford anymore handouts. Either everyone pays more or all the rates stay the same and spending gets cut; drastically! Govt’s idea of cutting spending is reducing the rate of growth from 8% to 6%; that would be considered a draconian reduction is spending that’s going to devastate some poor group of people.
rightwing troll
November 23rd, 2012
9:14 am
This blog is representative of two dozen or so loud mouthed idiots who have been wrong on most every prediction, prognostication and assertion they’ve made over the last 4 years, save two.
They were right on these points:
The presidential election WAS indeed a landslide.
And, there WAS indeed a silent majority out there waiting to make thier voices heard on election day.
The selfish, loud mouthed, and perpetually wrong idiots are as much moochers and takers as the “47%” and for some reason they feel they had some sort of credibility to continually come on anonymous blogs and pontificate about things they know nothing about. Their obvious beliefs are dictated to them by lying “entertainers” who feel that be repeating the lie, it becomes true.
The 1%ers have been raking it in hand over foot over the last decade, where are the “jobs”???
rightwing troll
November 23rd, 2012
9:19 am
” I don’t understand why some indicate in blogs that free healthcare is a “right”.”
Exactly… either embrace the ACA or cut off the free medical care via the ER… At least with the ACA I won’t be alone in my perpetually rising insurance costs…
Nativebird
November 23rd, 2012
9:19 am
Ah yes, the old “everything would be great around here if we would just raise the taxes of those evil rich people” mantra from the tried and true liberal AJC base. Problem is those pesky little facts keep getting in the way. We can take every dime, (that means 100 percent for those Libs having skipped economics 101), from every “rich” person in the U.S., and it won’t even make a dent, a small dent, in the massive federal debt that our collective compassion has racked up. So once again, taxes, will never ever actually solve the problem. It only soothes the massive wound with about a days worth of ointment….and that obviously the collective goal here.
rightwing troll
November 23rd, 2012
9:26 am
To clarify my position… I would be just fine with an across the board cut to every program out there. I guarantee we could achieve substantial cuts simply by improving efficiency and eliminating duplicity.
And I would happily accept a 3.9% increase to my taxes in return for such.
Repugnut
November 23rd, 2012
9:30 am
Watch out folks – the carpetbagger, mean spirited, embarrassment Tom Price is waiting in the wings to take Saxby’s place. I hope the voters of Georgia have more sense than that.
CA
November 23rd, 2012
9:34 am
JMH,
you call me an idiot, yet you are the one who can not spell basic English words. Yes, I do consider the issues, and the person advocating for (or taking a stand) on positions in which I believe. Please answer me. Why must you call me an idiot for believing in something in which you don’t?
Skeeters
November 23rd, 2012
9:57 am
If more of our politicians were more worried about what is right, rather than what gets them elected, our country would operate more like our founding fathers intended. Did not vote for Saxby but will now.
Buckhead Boy
November 23rd, 2012
9:59 am
How inconvenient it must be for those of you who regurgitate the “makers and takers” and “redistribution of wealth” animus to reside in a “taker” state that has benefited from “redistribution of wealth” through the federal government consistently since 1935. When you’re talking about paying one’s fair share, you’re certainly not talking about any Georgian or resident of most of the other right-wing states. Your talk is just sound and fury, signifying nothing but ignorance.
WhiteRabbit2
November 23rd, 2012
10:01 am
How wonderful the way they feign decency.
Chuck Garland
November 23rd, 2012
10:18 am
Thank you Senator! You’ve earned my vote in the primary!
Jeffrey
November 23rd, 2012
10:28 am
Way to go saxby!!! Men today need to be, well, more man like. Stick with yourself. Don’t follow sheep Go USA!!!!
Jeffrey
November 23rd, 2012
10:32 am
Don’t let two wars and an economic crisis change our country. We will payoff the debt and take care of grandma too. We’ve done it before we will do it again Saxby is just making me feel so good I got to witness. Go USA.
double
November 23rd, 2012
10:34 am
And just possibly Saxby and Christie could put the country/people above politics.That being what we need most at present.
George
November 23rd, 2012
10:44 am
Maybe this is the crack in the republican stance. You can’t pay down the deficit on cuts alone. Eliminating NPR won’t do it. We have to begin getting more revenue. Raise taxes in those who have benefited most from low taxes.
Sax by looks like a statesman on this one. Better than Tom price.
Libertine
November 23rd, 2012
10:59 am
Saxby’s doing what I thought we’d never see, put common sense above partisanship. Beware the House members from Georgia. They are partisans to the core, and in the case of Tom Graves, a career politician looking for out for his own comfort and agrandizement.
Libertine
November 23rd, 2012
11:05 am
I will happily accept a $10-to-$1 spending cuts to increased revenue fiscal plan. Anyone who wouldn’t is not thinking rationally … so the entire Republican presidential field was irrational, as was their rabid base. It’s time to slice all programs, defense, entitlements, etc., along with modest revenue increases to slice the debt.
yuzeyurbrane
November 23rd, 2012
11:13 am
Did any of you see Ken Burns’ recent documentary, “The Dust Bowl”? Interesting how outlook of society in general has changed. FDR received overwhelming acclaim for putting 8 million Americans back to work on WPA projects rebuilding nation’s infrastructure. In the film, we heard live testamonials from the then children of the Dust Bowl as to how these programs not only saved their families from physical starvation but restored self-respect to their Daddies by giving them a job. Even back then, they said, the bankers and other rich folks in town decried these programs as Socialist make-work. Sound familiar? Only now, there bought and paid for Congressmen have defeated the President’s attempts to deal with similar problems on this pure ideological ground. And back then there were also descriptions of makers and takers. Only then the makers were the working and middle classes and the takers were the exploiters who made their wealth off the sweat of the working and middle classes. The takers were able to ride out the Depression in relatively fine style and were seemingly mostly callous to the dire straits of their fellow less fortunate Americans. Sound familiar? What a difference 75 years makes. Overall, I would give the extreme right credit for a successful massive long-term propaganda campaign.
Not PC
November 23rd, 2012
11:49 am
The only jobs Clinton created was for dry cleaning. The market economy created every job that any politician ever took credit for in their careers.
MIsplaced spending and taxing costs jobs.
Rafe Hollister
November 23rd, 2012
11:49 am
Yuzey
That is one way of looking at it, but isn’t it funny that the two presidents, that used socialistic policies, to correct a major downturn in the economy, had the unfortunate honor of presiding over the longest economic downturns in the nations history. Obama and FDR treated symptoms by redistributing government confiscated money, and using Government programs as the solution.
Treating the symptoms brings some relief to the sufferers, but prolongs the illness. Presidents who advocated for improving the business climate and stimulated the consumers tend to have had much better turn around times, e.g. Kennedy and Reagan. Prior to 1900, Presidents did nothing when faced with recessions, as they considered them normal cycles, that usually lasted 2-3 years.
Obama failed to learn from FDR and our recovery continues to lag endlessly and Americans continue to suffer longer than necessary. He has said that the old economy was not good enough, as all did not flourish, so he is not going back. So, what was good for 85-90% of us, is unacceptable now. So, to fulfill his impossible utopian dream, we all wait for things to get better.
joke on us
November 23rd, 2012
11:57 am
mimi:
i have researched your topic and yes, it seems congress has to participate; which is good news BUT we know they will just vote themselves the same coverage they have now and the taxpayer will pickup the difference. NOW, on to the more important stuff— how to pay for it? one thing i have written to my congressmen was for HSA to roll-over year to year. Where I know a tax increase will help others get insurance, it puts the rest of use into an insurance program that will have higher deductiables. With higher deductables most Americans do not have that cash on hand and I believe we need to start figureing that out now before the “adequate” coverage is defined. Everytime I think the same ppl that brought us “cash for clunkers” is in control of healthcare makes me very nervous.
Okay, now we have the law of the land– I get it— but how are we “really” gonna pay for it?
legalize weed? raise tax rates on the middle class? place hidden taxes? VAT?
Also, we get news about the Republican Acheivement Act: I wrote my members of Congress over 2 years ago with just such an idea: I got video tape to prove it and emails
WHAT TOOK SO LONG?
gsueagle
November 23rd, 2012
12:13 pm
i am a conservative, looking forward to voting against saxby!
Chip 'The Dixie Dove' Shirley
November 23rd, 2012
12:32 pm
Thank God that Chambliss is standing up to that hateful nutcase Norquist.
Debbie Dooley
November 23rd, 2012
12:35 pm
Now if only Johnny would find a pair of cojones……..ne had his hand slapped during the Immigration debate and is afraid to be a bit moderate. too bad
JMH
November 23rd, 2012
12:38 pm
CA- wasn’t saying your an idiot for not believing the same as me. I said that because I don’t believe you and your ” I may change the way I’ve always voted argument”. I heard this too many times this last election cycle with the so call undecided voter crap. If you can’t figure out what you believe in than just stay home and don’t vote.
PS- Not sure what I spelled wrong but I sure am impressed with your spell check abilities!
woody
November 23rd, 2012
12:52 pm
You mean – an actual Republican who doesn’t want to dismantle the government piece by piece? Who doesn’t want to preside over the systematic demise of functional and orderly governmental processes? Who isn’t flat TREASONOUS? My God.
Timus
November 23rd, 2012
12:53 pm
Tychus Findlay
November 22nd, 2012
2:02 pm
Here’s a thought- if you voluntarily accept benefits from the State/Fed, you voluntarily give up your right to vote until the aforementioned status is reversed. If you don’t have skin in the game, you don’t get to play.
——————————
This single most ignorant post i’ve read today!!! Seniors who’ve worked all their lives and veterans should not have the right to vote? Nice!!! “No skin in the game?” Some vets have lost limbs and lives in the game!!!
JMH
November 23rd, 2012
12:56 pm
Woody, which functional and orderly government are you speaking about?
Moon Mullins
November 23rd, 2012
1:06 pm
Damned if it doesn’t look like after years of voting on the wrong side of virtually every issue ol Saxby has had an epiphany — that he’s come to himself. Could it be the turning tide of politics has wrought this marvelous change. Whatever. It’s good that he’s standing up to Grover after voting in lock step with him for twenty years.
Don Abernethy
November 23rd, 2012
1:31 pm
I have voted Republican for over 50 years but after two very disappointing presidential elections it is time for a new party that can win some elections. Looks like the liberal voters are increasing and conservatives are decreasing so it is unlikely we will ever win another presidential election. Socialism is becoming more popular especially among minorities. Saxby to me represents the Republican establishment that is partly responsible for our loss on November 6th. Meanwhile where was Tea Party these last 12 months??? Most of my friends are so depressed about our loss. They all can not believe what happened. America has changed and we would all move to another country but there are not any better than this one. We have taken down our American flags. We will re-focus our attention on God. I do not think I will vote for Saxby.
mambo
November 23rd, 2012
1:33 pm
I never liked saxby and he has proven me correct. We don’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. saxby is Georgia’s king of the pork barrel. Goodbye saxby!
Just Saying..
November 23rd, 2012
1:35 pm
Vietnam Medic@ 5:39-
Thanks for telling Cephas to go to hell.
3rd Bde, 82nd Abn
‘68-’69
Ron Murray
November 23rd, 2012
2:05 pm
He was elected to represent the people from the beginning, not just now.
He must be up for re-election.
vietnamvet
November 23rd, 2012
2:14 pm
I AM SICK OF TIRED OF BEING SICK OF TIRED OF DAMM POLITICANS LIKE OLE SAX.
Wallis T. Coper
November 23rd, 2012
2:18 pm
the blacks or winning agenst us. we must steck togather us wites. peopel need to no there place like they use to.
Wallis T. Coper
November 23rd, 2012
2:22 pm
an i no saxby an he is a fine man. you have to remember he is like us older ones who remember how he was keeping blacks and allegals in there place before the minerities take over. we must take are county back and fite. i will vote for saxby long as i live.
Wallis T. Coper
November 23rd, 2012
2:35 pm
i am seck an tired to of obamo an his black frends steeling the economics for his alection. we must vote obamo out next time an stop letting blacks going to vote just sense obamo gives them welfare.
MrLiberty
November 23rd, 2012
2:35 pm
Being the economically ignorant Keynesian statist that he is, this idiot would think that somehow taking more money from the productive sector of society would somehow benefit america more than not. This is exactly why the republican party is such a worthless piece of garbage and doing such a disservice to all those who blindly vote for them. A complete lack of small government principles is exactly what you can get from democrats. You don’t need a second party extolling the same worhtless virtues. Saxby only cares about Saxby, and whomever is filling a Caymen Islands bank account on his behalf. It is so far past time for him to get thrown out of his senate seat. One can only hope that the spineless republican party in this state will come to their senses, abandone this albatross and support a candidate that actually cares about small government and liberty. If that means backing the Libertarian Party candidate than so be it. One way or the other, Saxby has to go. America cna no longer afford people without principles in Washington. It is bad enough that we can’t just throw Isackson out this next election cycle too.
Wallis T. Coper
November 23rd, 2012
2:43 pm
an we need to throw out the blacks and demicrats to mrliberty sense they or soshalist.
front row pew
November 23rd, 2012
2:49 pm
Any Dem who would have signed a “no spending decrease” pledge would have been impeached.
GTRob
November 23rd, 2012
2:52 pm
Unbelievable! I never thought I would see this happen. Sanity and rationality may be creeping back into the GOP. And thank God in heaven for that.
Wallis T. Coper
November 23rd, 2012
2:53 pm
we mus rase are flag back up and fite back for are rites before they done took over the south to
Brosephus™
November 23rd, 2012
3:12 pm
NO federal retirement for presidents, senators or congressmen. Such terms in office are a service to your country, not a career. You may avail yourself of Social Security just like all other Americans.
[...]
Have anything you’d like to add to this list?
Yep,I have two acronyms to add to that list. CSRS and FERS. Look them up and help educate yourself.
Elected officials are government employees and their retirement is no different than regular government employees. As such, if they were first elected prior to 1987, then they are covered under CSRS. They have a defined pension, and they do not get Social Security since they don’t contribute to it.
Those elected after 1987 are covered by FERS. They have a small defined pension, SS, and the TSP (401k) as their retirement plan. They have to have 5 years of service in order to be fully vested. Also, as part of the debt negotiations last year, any newly elected officials will contribute more to the defined pension part unless they already have more than 5 years of service.
If you don’t want elected officials to have sizeable retirement packages, then quit re-electing them at a historical rate of 80% – 90%. The only people who can become vested with only one term is a senator.
Junebug116
November 23rd, 2012
3:18 pm
“I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” Chambliss says. Saxby do you take the same approach concerning pledges in regards to your marriage? A pledge is a promise made. Breaking promises to the voters removes any trust you may have had. Also, tax increases only work if behavior does not change. Remember the 1990 budget deal to tax luxury yachts? How much “revenue” did it raise? NONE. As a matter of fact, this tax killed the yacht building industry. Saxby, you proved that you are a sell out and it will not be forgotten. It is the taxpayers hard earned dollars not the governments revenue!