How the GOP can turn the tables on Obama on spending
Republicans will cave on the question of raising the tax rate for the highest-income Americans. The only question is whether they do so before or after the government goes over the so-called fiscal cliff.
First, many in the GOP do not believe that raising the rate on top earners from 35 percent to 39.6 percent (the rate before the Bush tax cuts) would seriously damage the economy. Second, they know that most Americans approve of higher taxes on the top bracket, and President Obama, having campaigned and won on that platform, seems dead-set on higher rates. Third, they fear that if the government does go over the cliff and Democrats propose re-lowering taxes for everyone except the highest earners, Republicans would be in the impossible position of resisting tax cuts for 98 percent of the country on behalf of the top 2 percent. …
Doing that would forestall the Democratic attack that the GOP will not bend on tax rates. Instead, it would be the president who’s not bending. Of course, Obama — and many in the media — would find other grounds to attack Republicans. But since the GOP is ultimately going to relent on the top tax rate, why not do it when it has some benefit?
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It isn’t seriously going to help much, either…
Kraken on December 4, 2012 at 10:10 AM
By winning Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire and Virginia?
forest on December 4, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Uh, Byrok York is the author of this article, not Michael Barone.
Bitter Clinger on December 4, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Make that Byron York.
Bitter Clinger on December 4, 2012 at 10:13 AM
This won’t work politically unless/until the public views entitlements as a problem in need of solving rather than a sacred cow in need of protecting. Not my impression yet.
Seth Halpern on December 4, 2012 at 10:22 AM
There is this crazy assumption that both sides would be covered fairly by the media.
If the Republicans cave on the top tax rate, then it would be “Oh we’ll have an agreement if you do just this…and this..and this…and commit mass suicide.”
If at any point the Republicans balk there will be screams of outrage and snivels that the Republicans drove the US off the fiscal cliff.
And a significant portion of the populace would believe it.
LincolntheHun on December 4, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Start sending a flood of bills to the House floor of spending cuts.
Let the Dem senate have to vote down spending cuts.
stenwin77 on December 4, 2012 at 10:30 AM
The GOP, on principle, should propose a bill with a cut in pay for congress and a cut in congressional perks for all members, including, making them be covered (healthcare) as all Americans are covered.
They would have 85 % of Americans on that.
Eliminate the czars.
stenwin77 on December 4, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Let it all crash, then we start from scratch.
MoreLiberty on December 4, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Kabuki theater…
Again… What’s the point of having control of the purse strings of the US treasury if you’re going to capitulate to Obama’s demands anyway?
Write the bill the Republicans campaigned on and give it to the Senate and make Harry Reid explain why he won’t follow the laws of the constitution.
Skywise on December 4, 2012 at 11:06 AM
That story is by Byron York, not Barone.
We should go ahead and cave on the tax rates for the rich. It’s a losing issue for us, and maybe we could get some entitlement cuts in the deal.
Yeah, the 2% will be really upset with us for not holding the rates on taxes. But how many votes is that? Sure, it could cause some primary challenges, but how would the Dems use that against us in the general election?
hawksruleva on December 4, 2012 at 11:19 AM
That’s going to happen no matter what. But we can choose the ground on which we fight. I’d rather start by saying Obama forced us to raise taxes on the 2%, then start by saying we stood by while taxes went up on 100%.
Regardless of how the fiscal cliff ends up, the GOP needs to start devising a message for how they handled it. And getting that message out.
hawksruleva on December 4, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Mark Lein has been all over this and I wish the spineless republicans would take notice from “the Great One”:
Send a bill that lowers the tax rates for the middle class. Oblahblah loves the middle class remember. If he won’t pass and sign it…he hates the middle class.
trs on December 4, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Mark Lein = Mark Levin
Please except my apologies oh Great One!!!!
trs on December 4, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Give Obama everything he wants but pretend it’s our idea.
Gee…That Byron is seriously outfoxing Democrats.
NeoKong on December 4, 2012 at 11:34 AM