Anti-tax activist Grover Norquist said Monday he was
confident that any “fiscal cliff” deal would not raise taxes and said GOP
leaders could fight for more cuts using the debt ceiling as leverage.
“This fight does not end in a week, OK? This is a
long-slogging fight,” said Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform,
on CNN’s “Starting Point.” “We should take as many as the tax cuts off the
table as possible.”
“I'm working with all of the folks trying to defend
taxpayers here in Congress in the House and Senate,” said Norquist. “I don't think you will see something that
actually raises taxes. We may get some tax cuts now and have to fight for
others later.”
Norquist said the GOP held leverage to extract further concessions
from Democrats.
“Republicans have the clout of the debt ceiling increase,
which they effectively used a year and a half ago, and the continuing
resolution, where they can dole out money slowly to Obama and the Democrats to
spend while reining it in,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Vice President Biden continued negotiations late Sunday night to strike a deal before midnight.
Lawmakers and the White House are looking to avoid the
tax-rate rises and across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect in
2013.
Republicans initially insisted that all current income tax rates be extended, despite President Obama’s call for higher rates on the
wealthy. But as the deadline nears, GOP
lawmakers have said they will back a deal that hikes tax rates on wealthy
earners.
Reid has proposed extending the current tax rates for
families with $450,000 or less in annual income and individuals who make $360,000 or less.
Republicans have countered with a proposal to set the threshold at $550,000 for
families and $450,000 for individuals.
Rep. Tom Price (Ga.) on Monday predicted the House would
pass a bill along those lines.
Norquist last week backed Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) controversial “Plan B” proposal which would have extended rates for 98 percent
of taxpayers.
Boehner said that the plan would place pressure on Democrats
to come to the table with spending cuts. But a vote on the plan was canceled
after leaders realized there was not enough support within the GOP caucus to
pass the measure.
