READER PAUL FONTAINE WRITES:
Glenn, I’ve been thinking about this. I’m a libertarian who mainly votes Republican because fiscal conservatism comes first and freedom, to me, means more than just the freedom to f*ck who I want and kill fetuses.
Anyway, I just read this article: Obama Wins 8 of 10 Wealthiest Counties in US.
And I’m saying to myself, why am I going to war for these people? All this effort to try to protect the “job creators” and they’re voting for Obama and ever larger government and more taxes. I think it’s time to give them what they want! I would love to see a Republican bring forth a bill to tax the sh*t out of those making over $500k (the 1%). These are the people who live in these enclaves. Let’s do comprehensive tax reform, eliminate most or all deductions and lower rates for everyone…except them. Let their rates go back to the Clinton era rates AND eliminate their deductions. This goes hand in hand with your “eliminate the Hollywood Tax Cuts” proposal. Now granted, this would not do a whole lot to address the budget deficit. Anyone who is good at math knows that. However, it completely cuts the legs out from the Democrats, gives these rich jerks their just desserts for voting for Obama and supporting him financially, and will help insulate the married working professionals who Obama and the Dems REALLY want to soak. You can even defend it in public to your base by telling them “Look at the stats, these people vote in DROVES for Obama. They want this. They deserve this”. Once you’ve passed this bill to raise taxes on these liberal elite, when the Dems come back to try to get the rest of us, they will no longer be able to demonize R’s for protecting “the rich”. The Republicans are now protecting working families who are just trying to finance their own retirements, their kids’ college educations and pay their mortgages. They could KILL the Dems in ads and they would have nothing to fall back on. Am I crazy? I think this is the way to go.
Well, this class-warfare stuff seems to work. Maybe Republicans should give it a try. As Joel Kotkin notes: Despite the Great Recession, Obama’s New Coalition of Elites Has Thrived.