Senate candidate Crist signs anti-tax pledge

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Charlie Crist has signed the national Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge. By doing so Crist promises to "oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and ... oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."

The governor had already signed (as have Bill McCollum and Marco Rubio) the state version of the ATR pledge, to "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." We'll see how that works out with the $1 cigarette tax increase passed by the legislature (background here).

“Americans need leaders committed to fiscal responsibility and pro-growth economic policies. Therefore, I commend Governor Crist for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Signing and abiding by the pledge is a clear indication of a candidate’s dedication to fiscal conservatism,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.

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Comments

[izzy]

Will Sink sign this?

Or will she propose tax increases like McBride did??

[CRIST=NORQUIST]

How irresponsible. You lost this moderate's vote, Charlie. Norquist is a nutjob fanatic and a serious danger to America's future, not to mention representing all the imprudent policies that caused the current economic crisis. You have exposed yourself for a fraud and a traitor, Governor.

[whasup]

Anything to get elected.

It's what appeals to "the people" and they'll really like me better if I sign this.

Just like, 80% of "the people" will like me because I approved of the $1/pack cig tax.

[What are you doing, Charlie?]

This is a stupid move. Norquist is behind the failed "Prop 13" agenda that has bankrupt so many state and local governments and allowed big business to pave and pillage and remove all value, and then abandon them. Alas, the last Republican in Florida that this Democrat might have supported caves in to the party fanatics.

[Fool me twice - won't get fooled again, Chuck!]

Grover Norquist wrote the platform for most of the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

'Nuff Said

[MenckenJr]

As usual, Crist is indulging in his hobby of pushing the wrong solution for any given problem.

[Crispy]

What will Grover do when Charlie signs the budget with a $1 tax increase on cigarettes?

This is a no brainer for him... while I signed it for the state, that is different than signing it for the US Senate...

Crispy

[Joe Camel]

So does he veto the cigarette tax now?

[jjjhein]

Charlie just wants to run away from Florida's problems so he will run away from his cultivated "moderate" image that brought him moderate votes and campaign as a "REAL" republican. That is, a right wing extremist. Kissing wingnut Norquist's ++s is just a firt step in his conversion. He knows that "moderate" republicans will not be tolerated by the right wingers who control the GOP these days.

The big tent is over, Extremism is in. And I hope it leads to the quick death of the GOP.

[jjjhein]

Why are questions about Charlie's sexual orientation not permitted? I am sure the truth will come out even if Charlie doesn't.

[2 percent tax on state employees income]

I'm confused - how can Crist be pledging that he is not and will not raise income taxes, when he has a budget sitting in front of him which imposes a tax on state employees' income at 2 percent? If he doesn't veto the state employee income tax increase, then wouldn't he already have broken the pledge?

[Sink '10]

McCollum is a big government Republican and likes to hire big government attorneys to do his business against the corporate world. Why else would this RINO hire an anti-trust (anti-free market, anti-business) attorney as a deputy.

[Carl]

ALEX SINK WILL NOT SIGN BECAUSE SHE LOVES TO TAX & SPEND

[jeb is too the smart one,oh wait my bad]

Norquist? Who the heck is Norquist?
The put'z that has back so many failed ideas? The putz that tries to keep the minority fringe in the party happy?
Remember,allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire would NOT be covered under this pledge.Crist needs to be asked about this and what his intentions are.
Don't forget how he went wide right as soon as he was announced for being on the "short list" for veep,shortly after that he announced he wasn't gay,umm errr I mean he was going to get married to someone he went to dinner with,,,once.
What happened to our leaders leading?
What a bunch of eunuchs.At least Limbaugh tells it like it is.

[Self-serving hypocrisy]

4:36 I think it's far more hypocritical, and questionable, to tax AND sign the no-tax pledge, than to not sign it. I give Sink credit here for not signing being realistic, while Rubio and Crist are signing a promise they will not keep. Crist already has broken this by taxing the income of state employees at 2 percent in the current budget.

[Paul D. Harvill]

Grover Norquist, president of ATR, is an ideological idiot in the midst of a financial catastrophre.

Such ideological fealty is idiotic.

Few Republicans are as stupid as Norquist.

[Chuck]

How they so easily forget George Sr. famous "read my lips..." speech. I am sure many politicians have good intentions (to get elected)on holding taxes down or reducing them. But,as special interest groups demand more and more services, entitlements, etc. and to appease them - money has to come from somewhere.

I would love to hear a politician just once say - "How do YOU intend for the government to pay for this?"

[Ann]

6:52pm, your lying. Gov Crist has not imposed any income tax. In fact FL'S Constitution forbid any income tax.