Turd Blossom forgot to mention his boss (Jim Bourg/Reuters)



Turd Blossom forgot to mention his boss (Jim Bourg/Reuters)



American Crossroads, the big money GOP group founded by Karl Rove, is warning Republicans that President Obama’s new campaign to raise taxes on millionaires is a political winner. Under the header “Obama’s New Class Warfare May Resonate,” the group’s director, Steven Law, cited their own polling data in a strategy memo to argue that the White House was gaining ground with its proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy.

You'll have to read through the lines of Republi-speak, but here's the key paragraph from the memo itself:

Obama’s New Class Warfare May Resonate President Obama hasn’t closed the sale with the public on his latest stimulus, but one theme does appear to resonate. It may be the result of larger environmental conditions, or he may be moving the needle himself, but Obama’s “tax the rich” mantra is getting traction: our poll found that 64% favor raising taxes on people with incomes above $200,000.

But if you're a Republican, never fear, because Crossroads has got prefabricated (and I do mean fabricated) spin read for you:

By far the strongest and clearest message against Obama’s “tax the rich” agenda comes from former President Clinton: 67% of respondents agree, and just 29% disagree, with the view: “President Clinton has said he doesn’t ‘believe we should be raising taxes...until we get this economy off the ground.’”

Yeah, great spin. Except there's no daylight between President Obama and President Clinton: neither one favors raising taxes immediately. In fact, the only folks talking about raising taxes are Republicans, who are blocking President Obama's payroll tax holiday.

Moreover, President Obama's tax plan would return us to Clinton-era tax rates. Yet Crossroads continues its B.S. undaunted:

Not only does Clinton’s position perform well, it reemphasizes the bipartisan concern about Obama’s economic agenda and where it’s taking us.

Um, notice what was missing there? Any mention of Bush or the GOP economic agenda. Because they don't have one—at least not one they are willing to talk about publicly. Meanwhile, President Obama and President Clinton are on the same page, and they would both agree on this key fact: the single biggest obstacle to new government action to help grow the economy and create jobs is politically motivated Republican obstruction.

Crossroads can talk all they want about class warfare, but since the first day Republicans retook control of the House, the fact is that the only warfare going on has been on the part of the G.O.P. against President Obama's agenda. Their goal is to sabotage presidency in order to improve their chances in 2012. And they don't care what happens to the country in the process.