A Taxing Pledge Of Loyalty
Why a vow not to raise taxes is so hard to break
But some consider themselves off even if they haven't tried to remove their names. "I don't care what Norquist says," says Jeff Espich, a Republican lawmaker in Indiana who hasn't sought to remove his name. "I'm off." David Wolkins, another Republican in the Indiana legislature, held a press conference this winter to rescind his pledge, but Norquist says he wasn't notified early enough to attend. "They don't want any Indians leaving the reservation," says Wolkins, "because there might be a mass exodus." Americans for Tax Reform does track pledge breakers in its "hall of shame."
Some legislators say that broken pledges have cost them little. In this week's Virginia primaries, Bryant and another lawmaker who signed the pledge and supported last year's tax hike are facing relatively light opposition. So why even bother trying to get off Norquist's list? Some lawmakers chafe at what they consider his bullying. "Who is this guy from Washington telling us what to do in Kentucky?" says Jim Gooch, a Democratic House member there.
But for first-time candidates, Norquist's pledge can help establish an identity. South Carolina freshman legislator Joan Brady credits a state pledge modeled on ATR's pledge with helping her win a four-way GOP primary last year. But Brady says she didn't know that it was an office-long commitment or that she'd end up on Norquist's list. "I want to live up to the pledge, but if something drastic happens . . . I'm beholden to my constituents," she says. "Not to any organization."
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