David Corn

I used to have a poster that was put out decades ago by the British Labour Party that proclaimed, "Workers, Vote Your Interests." That's basic politics. And I'm surprised that wealthy Americans--at least of the GOP stripe--are not following that golden rule. A Washington Post front-page article today notes that many big-money Republican funders have so far sat out the 2008 race, in that they have not opened their wallets to any of the Republican presidential wannabes. Don't they know that if Hillary Clinton or any other Democrat wins the White House, their taxes are likely to go up (at least to those terribly repressive rates of the Reagan era)? Aren't they moved by the dire warnings of all the leading Republican contenders who decry the big-spending and tax-raising ways of the Democrats? Don't they realize--as Rudy, Mitt, Fred, John and the others predict--that the economy will crash and burn if a Democrat manages to make it to the White House?

Apparently not. Now, it's certainly possible that once the race is clear--when the Dems have picked their man or woman and the Republicans have picked their fiscal fearmonger--Republican fat cats will come late to the party and shower the GOP nominee with dino-dollars. But it's interesting that the scare tactics being used by the Republican contenders have not yet motivated the financial heart of the party. While the Democratic presidential aspirants have drawn $223 million in contributions, the poor GOPers have taken in but a measly $150 million. The gap of $73 million is, of course, not insignificant. But given historical trends, one could expect the Republicans in a race with no incumbent on either side to draw 50 to 100 percent more than the Democrats, not one-third less.

From the Post piece:

"The Republican brand is not selling very well," said Christine Todd Whitman, a former New Jersey governor, Bush Cabinet member and 2004 Ranger. "There are a lot of frustrated people. They are not seeing anybody who has sent them over the top."

"I have opted out for all the well-documented reasons that disaffected Republicans use," Carpenter said. "I'm not sure which primary I'll vote in. At the moment I will say I'm keeping my powder dry. It's the first time I'm really a bit confused about what I should be doing, or where the country should be headed."

Poor guy. It's so confusing.

For years--decades, actually--the Republicans have used the tax club to whack Democrats. But it's pretty clear these days that--despite what McRomsoniani says--the Democrats are not looking to add to the tax burdens of most Americans and that the rich in America (who are doing better than ever) do not need relief and can perhaps even afford to pay more of the nation's bill. (After all, aren't we at war and facing other fundamental challenges?) Still, the GOP contestants--in the debates and on the stump--keep deploying the same-old/same-old tax issue in their tired-sounding attempts to bash the Dems. (At one recent debate, Giuliani accused Hillary Clinton of purposefully wanting to limit the nation's economic growth.) But if the traditional GOP funders aren't buying this junk, who will?