25 November 2012 Roe, Review, renege

Congressman Phil Roe,

          Congressman, you have signed the ATR “no tax increases” pledge. This instrument of intimidation is used by Grover Norquist to apply political pressure to legislators who should have known better than to allow a lobbyist to interfere in the electoral process. 

          While you may feel that aligning your seat with the political concerns of a lobbyist group that has no regard at all for the needs of your constituents fulfills the conditions of your election; you were elected to represent the people of your district.  The ATR is concerned only with preventing any and all tax increases for the upper 2% of the American populace.  It has pushed a policy of fiscal war against the former middle and working classes of the United States. 

          Of even greater concern is the proven connection of ATR with Jack Abramoff, convicted of money laundering.  There is no doubt that Norquist was aware of the money laundering and used proceeds from that activity for financing ATR’s operation.  Reviewing the history of ATR reveals that Norquist also profited from illegal manipulation of casino profits and that some association with anti-Israeli groups has occurred despite the professed support for Israel by the GOP as a whole. 

          As a resident of the 1^st District, TN, I am horrified to find that any elected official can, in good faith, allow any lobbyists such as ATR to determine how they vote in Congress.  Norquist is not a resident of Tennessee.  To allow him to dictate the actions of Tennessee Congressional representatives is essentially selling the influence and power of that office.  Therefore I call upon you to remember who elected you to Congress, and to publically revoke your signature on “the pledge” and any other document pledging fealty to Norquist and ATR.  While Norquist may threaten your seat, He should not be allowed to influence elections.  You should support the people who elected you and trust them to accept or reject your actions and voting history rather than handing over your vote to the teavangelist faction that, if allowed, will torpedo the global economy in the pursuit of ideology based upon greed and fiction.