He Know's Who You've Been Taxing...

The D.C. Examiner ^ | December 19, 2006 | Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin

[PDR]

The holidays can sure tax one’s patience, but that’s the only tax the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform want to see this holiday season (or at any other point during the year, for that matter).

That’s why its annual holiday card puts tax cut advocates and tax cut enemies into “Naughty” and “Nice” lists.

Those who made the “Naughty” list this year are guilty of being one of the following: “Tax Increase Advocate” or “GOP Non Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signer.” And those lucky enough to land on the “Nice” list did so because they are either a “Democrat Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signer,” a “Flat Tax” supporter or a “Tax Cutter.” Americans for Tax Reform is headed by Grover Norquist and the organization’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” is considered, by many, to be the Golden Seal of Conservative Approval.

Surprisingly, more Republicans (20) made ATR’s “Naughty” list than Democrats (7), including potential 2008 candidate Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., and possible Democratic candidate Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa. Norquist told Yeas & Nays that he even wanted to put Republican Colorado Gov. Bill Owens on the list twice for his “egregious” tax policies and positions.

On the “Nice” list were five Democrats — Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Reps. Gene Taylor of Mississippi, Robert Andrews of New Jersey, Ben Chandler of Kentucky and incoming freshman Brad Ellsworth of Indiana — and some of the usual Republican suspects: President Bush, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, “All 1623 Signers of The Pledge” and, of course, “the ATR Staff.”

But don’t start thinking that Norquist and his members are about to turn into Democrats. “We didn’t have space to put all the Republicans on there that were good on taxes,” Norquist said, adding, “and we also didn’t have enough room to add all the Democrats who were bad on the issue.” What resulted is sort of “Naughty of the Naughtiest” and “Nicest of the Nice,” he said.