Tax reform advocate Grover Norquist hailed progress on a Senate tax bill Tuesday but warned critics in the upper chamber could sink the reform legislation and wind up "hurting" the country and the GOP.
The founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform told Newsmax TV's "Newsmax Now" changes in the bill sought by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., for example, are concerning.
Corker a deficit hawk, said he could be persuaded to vote for the GOP tax bill if it includes a way to "backstop or trigger" if the plan, which proposes nearly $1.5 trillion in tax cuts, does not meet projections for boosting the economy.
"You can't ask the business community . . . 'go ahead and invest, and we'll tell you later if you have the lower tax rate,'" Norquist said. "The whole point is permanent tax reform that people can count on when they make decisions — that is lower tax rates — and that's what this bill has."
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Norquist also questioned Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson's desire a bigger tax break for "pass-through" businesses, which include small mom-and-pop enterprises as well as some large, non-corporate businesses.
Norquist described the critics as "people who turned in their homework late who didn't discuss this and build support for it in Congress," warning if the bill does not pass there will be a risk of "really hurting the country, the modern Republican Party" and "the Republican chances of keeping the Senate."
Norquist also decried the lack of bipartisanship in the Senate.
"There are no moderate Democrats," he declared. "Once we hit 50 votes or 51 votes and it's going to pass, and it doesn't matter then one or two Democrats might come over."