Time for 'purple politics,' and political courage

Graphic/noc.newsong.net

In his column this week for CNN, John Avlon writes that it’s time for Congress to practice "purple politics." (Not an Avlon original, but a  nice label).  Bipartisanship, combined with political courage, should result in a fix for the “fiscal cliff” and, finally, comprehensive immigration reform.

During the election season, Congress was afraid of anti-tax guru Grover Norquist and tried to hide from the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan. Now, the tide seems to be shifting, perhaps in part due to polls.

Here’s Avalon:

“…According to the Main Street survey, 54% of Republicans, 50% of Democrats and 49% of swing voters support the Bowles-Simpson plan -- while just 10% of Republicans and 12% of Democrats oppose it.

“And despite the strenuous opposition by adherents to Grover Norquist's no-tax pledge, 35% of Republicans say they would be more likely to vote for a member of Congress who broke the anti-tax pledge to find a long-term solution to the deficit and debt mess -- while 31% said it would make them less likely.”