THE BIG QUESTION — Dec. 9

The Big Question is a feature where influential lawmakers, pundits and interest group leaders give their answers to a question that’s driving discussion in news circles around the country.

Today’s Big Question is:

Given his cabinet appointments, has President-elect Barack Obama been paying adequate attention to his base?

See responses below from J-Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami and ATR President Grover Norquist.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, executive director, J Street said:

The hope and promise of the Obama campaign and of his impending presidency is that America may be poised to move beyond the ideology and partisanship of recent years in Washington, which has driven the country into the ground and led us into a wide range of both domestic and international crises. Read the full response

Grover Norquist, president, Americans for Tax Reform said:

The left wing driver in the next two and four years is Congress, not the political appointees of the executive branch. Pelosi and Reid do not need any help from the Clinton retreads to push tax hikes, major spending sprees, letters of marque for trial lawyers, and the regulation and subsidization of that which continues to move. Read the full response