5 Myths About the Fiscal Cliff

Myth #1: Democrats Want to Compromise, Republicans Do Not


A plurality of Americans believe that if a compromise is not reached, Republicans will be mostly to blame. This should come as no surprise when much of the reporting on the fiscal cliff implies that House Republicans are the main obstacle to reaching an agreement.

This is odd, though, considering that since the election Republican leaders have spoken often about compromise while Democratic leaders have more often been speaking about what they are not willing to compromise.


Myth #2: Obama's Position is the Compromise Position

During his 2008 campaign, President Obama said he wanted the Bush tax cuts to expire for those making more than $250,000 per year and to make the tax cuts permanent for everyone else. This was also his position throughout his first term and during his campaign for re-election this year.

Democrats like to offer this position to Republicans as if this position is a "compromise" between themselves and Republicans. Offering to do what you want to do is not, however, a compromise. A true compromise would be somewhere between the president's and Republican's positions.


Myth #3: Grover Norquist is the Problem



With some of the reporting on the fiscal cliff, one might assume that everything would be resolved if not for Grover Norquist. Norquist, though, is not nearly as important as many imagine.



Myth #4: Republicans Who Compromise Will Violate "the Pledge"




The above is not to suggest that what Norquist thinks does not matter. While his influence is overblown, it is not insignificant. ATR can back primary challengers against those that they believe violated the anti-tax pledge, for instance.

Much of what Norquist has said about the anti-tax pledge, though, is political posturing, as a 2011 interview with The Washington Post editorial board illustrates. In July of last year, Norquist said that failing to extend the Bush tax cuts would not be a violation of the pledge.

"Not continuing a tax cut is not technically a tax increase," Norquist correctly noted.



Myth #5: What Senators Think Matters


Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) this week noted that they would support additional revenue as part of a compromise. Many news reports and editorials followed, thus giving the misleading impression that senators matter in the fiscal cliff negotiations.


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