You would have thought that George H.W. Bush’s infamous “No new taxes” pledge in 1988 would have been forewarning enough. It eventually did what such expedient political promises typically do: run smack into unforeseen reality down the road. Bush de-pledged. He had rolled the rhetorical dice and hoped ensuing events – fiscal and political – wouldn’t require a recant.
He was wrong. “Read-my-lips” wrong.
Which brings us to the upcoming Florida Legislature, which will have to address unprecedented, mushrooming-as-we-speak, budget deficits that could exceed $5 billion by 2010. The recessionary economy has already resulted in statewide job layoffs, critical service cuts and important infrastructure-improvement deferrals.
Well, Strategy One should be pretty obvious, especially when deficit spending is prohibited: increase voluntary taxes such as tobacco, close unjustified sales-tax exemption (including services) loopholes and get proactive – finally – about Internet sales taxes.
Except. There’s this pledge.
The Florida Legislature has provided yet another example of why political “pledges” should be seen for what they really are – blatant exercises in political expedience and pandering. Twenty-nine sitting legislators, including Senate President Jeff Atwater and incoming House Speaker Larry Cretul, have signed a no new taxes pledge that pre-dates “Read-my-lips” notoriety. Also signing: Gov. Charlie Crist and Attorney General Bill McCollum.
Now comes their truth-in-pledging Rubicon. They can stand by their “taxpayer protection” pledge, glibly nuance their words to accommodate economic adversity or fall on their ideological, no-tax swords.
Atwater acknowledges he may have to do some “revisiting.” Sen. Mike Fasano would consider raising “fees.” Others have used the “no net revenue” rationale that means increasing some taxes if they were counterbalanced by decreasing others. Which makes no net sense in times such as these. Still other signatories call for the relaxing of class-size-limits standards. Etc.
Best bet: Absolutely nobody denounces the cynical, self-serving ploy that is a political pledge. Some will keep their pledge, figuring stuff will still get done without their help, and they can remain unalienated from their conservative base.
And enough will go the parse-farce route – and hope nobody notices.
They’ll probably be right. But sometimes the voters do read lips.