"The solutions to everything are obvious --
if only the idiots would get out of my way. "
And how does he do it? By lobbing the biggest bomb in the Democratic arsenal at Mitt Romney -- here, right now in the Republican primary.
Growing income inequality in a time of severe economic hardship for the middle class is the hottest, most emotionally charged issue that the Democrats can capitalize on against the Republicans and Mitt Romney in particular.
Every time Obama sounds this theme, his approval ratings go up and those of Congress go down. The Republican establishment also realizes that this is their greatest vulnerability, and they are desperately trying to get Gingrich and Perry to shut up about it.
As a New York Times editorial today points out,
"Republicans are indeed in growing trouble as more voters begin to realize how much the party's policies -- dismantling regulations, slashing taxes for the rich, weakening unions -- have contributed to inequality and the yawning distance between the middle class and the top end."So Newt -- running as a Republican -- pulls this issue out to attack his fellow Republican with. I'm referring to Newt's SuperPAC ad about Mitt and his work at Bain that destroyed jobs.
Which prompted Rudy Guiliani to exclaim on Fox News:
"What the hell are you doing, Newt?"There's nothing quite like having Newt throw your bombs for you before the general campaign even begins. The "country club Republicans," like Romney, are then left with not much defense except to accuse the Democrats who bring this up of "engaging in class warfare."
So what is their dear colleague, Newt Gingrich, engaging in? Utter gutter, dog-eat-dog politics, for sure. Pure, blind revenge of a wounded narcissist, I would add.
Ralph
Good timing too. Romney finally responded to pointed questions about his taxes, saying that his effective tax rate "was probably around 15%."
ReplyDeleteWhich, of course, puts him in the category of rich people who pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries.
Nothing illegal suggested here. But it points up the system that favors the rich. Romney explained that in recent years his income has come mostly from investments he made years ago -- which is taxed at a lower rate.
That's the point.
This is the same Mittens who said his income from speaking fees "was not that much." Turns out it was $347,000. Not very much, indeed, to someone out of working and in danger of losing his home.
ReplyDeleteAnd the same Mittens who offered a $10,000 bet to Rick Perry on the factual accuracy of Perry's statement about Mittens' book.
And these are the guys who want to give the rich people an even bigger cut in their taxes.
This is a fight Obama should be looking forward to.