In the constitutionally mandated order of succession, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., is two heartbeats away from the presidency.
Unfortunately, Hastert is also two bricks short of a load.
During Wednesday evening's debate on the House budget proposal, Hastert, who famously proposed bulldozing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit, announced that working families should not be looking for any tax breaks.
Why? Because Hastert does not think that working families pay taxes.
The speaker explained on the House floor that "well, folks, if you earn $40,000 a year and have a family of two, you don't pay any taxes. So you probably if you don't pay any taxes, you are not going to get a big tax cut. Now, if you earn $1 million a year, you are going to pay about $400,000 of taxes. Maybe you'll get a $40,000 tax cut ..."
Just to clarify, working families pay federal income taxes, state and local income taxes, Social Security taxes, sales taxes, gasoline taxes and most of the other taxes that rich people pay. While some very poor families got a bit of tax relief during the Clinton years, working families of the sort Hastert was talking about still pay more than their fair share.
The people who do not pay their fair share are those very rich folks to whom Hastert wants to give another tax break.
In the case of some politicians, a statement as wholly inaccurate as the one made by Hastert would inspire charges that he is lying.
But Hastert is the Marie Antoinette of American politics.
The fairest assumption is that he simply does not know who pays taxes in America.
A BuzzFlash news analysis says Fat Li'l Denny might have just given the House to the Dems if the Dems play their cards right. If only.
If the Democrats can finally create some message discipline, Dennis Hastert just gave them control of the House of Representatives in the fall election.
Message to Dems: Take this quote and run on it until the last vote is counted. You've been looking for an opening to the working families who can swing enough districts to retake the House, and Hastert just gave it to you.
Message to the Democratic poobahs with all the campaign cash: Don't get sidetracked, don't get distracted, don't get sucked into peripheral issues with no voter traction. Fire the losing consultants and let Hastert give you back the House.
He already has. You just need to use his own words to remove him and the GOP from running Congress.
"Hey, Marie [shown as a waitress, serving a ham and eggs breakfast], do you pay taxes? The Republican Speaker of the House says that you don't. He thinks only the wealthy need a tax break. Do you agree with him? Vote Democratic, because we know how it is to stand in your shoes. [shot of waitress taking off her shoes and rubbing her heels]"
It's a simple and winning message.
Will the Democratic leaders look a gift horse in the mouth, again?
Probably, but let's hope they wise up and work this one like a rented mule.
No comments:
Post a Comment