From Pine View Farm

Another Compromising Con Job 0

At Philly dot com, Thomas Fitzgerald, a normally level-headed sort of guy, has put forth a staggering exercise of High Broderism.

In a cartoon ricocheting around the Web, the conservative antitax crusader Grover Norquist is depicted as the disembodied head of the Wizard of Oz – a green, glowering face floating above Republican politicians bowing in reverence, the entire scene lit by votive torches.

It’s a mad, maniacal image of the man the left, some Democratic members of Congress, and even former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson blame for bringing the United States to the brink of fiscal disaster.

They say Norquist’s power – stemming from an ironclad “no tax” pledge most GOP lawmakers have signed – has all but ruled out rational discussion and compromise.

But intransigence cuts both ways, and Democrats have their own Grovers.

Who are the Grovers of the Democrats? Fitzgerald nominates the AARP and several unions. (You remember unions? They represent persons who get by on wages, not on capital gains and consulting fees.)

And what are these sacred cows protecting?

Why, social security and medicare.

On the one hand, we have those who think that the richest of the rich should pay a little more of the expense of maintaining a civilized and civil society.

On the other hand, we have those who wish to take even more support and services away from those who have the least so the richest of the rich can buy more yachts, private jets and bank accounts in the Caymans.

Concepts of fairness, justice, and wise social policy are absent from the discussion.

The two positions are equivalent because, well, compromise.

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