Reid blames Norquist for lack of deal to avoid 'fiscal cliff'

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist is standing in the way of lawmakers coming up with a way to avoid the "fiscal cliff."

Reid said Democrats and Republicans agree that taxes shouldn’t rise next year on families making less than $250,000 and that the House could vote on a measure that would extend the George W. Bush-era tax rates on just that, but has refused.

“We agree taxes should not go up for anyone making less than $250,000 a year,” Reid said on the floor Tuesday. “With common ground in sight, we should be able to avoid the fiscal cliff for most Americans.

“All it would take is a single vote in the House of Representatives [but] one thing stands in the way: Grover Norquist, who for years has bullied lawmakers.”

Reid said he was pleased to see several GOP lawmakers distance themselves from the anti-tax pledge sponsored by Norquist and his group, Americans for Tax Reform.

Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have all said in recent days that they’d break the pledge they signed that they’d never raise taxes.

“Several Republican lawmakers have said revenue should be on the table,” Reid said. “This is common sense to everyone but Grover Norquist.”

Reid said the election results — President Obama securing a second term and Democrats maintaining control of the Senate — prove the American people support the Democrats' “balanced approach,” which includes revenue.

Lawmakers are working to avoid the "fiscal cliff," which the country will reach at the end of the year when the Bush tax rates expire and sequestration cuts take effect, unless lawmakers act.

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