This battle is so fundamental to Republicans that it is causing them to fight about everything except one thing: tax cuts for the rich. Somehow or other, mystery of mysteries, they can agree on this. Why? Because this will complete the REAL Reagan Revolution, sold as a return to American common sense, but which was always at its heart, a return to the Age of the Robber Baron. Almost there! And if the last stages of building the human tower to reach this top of the greasiest pole looks a little messy, so be it. The bag of money at the top will pay for a lot of hot showers.

The real battle is between the exceedingly wealthy and the American democracy.

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The media keep mindlessly reporting that the party “needs a win.” Make no mistake: If the Republicans win this, we all lose. It is unclear to me why the media frames the story this way. And why do we keep seeing this referred to as tax “reform?” More accurate would be “money grab.” Or “budget buster.” Or “inequality machine.” Or “last nail in our coffin.”

So while we watch another Trumpian battle, this one to complete his capture of the GOP and remake it in his image as a lying machine of perpetual crisis, divisiveness and 360-degree damage, the embattled old guard has decided to guard its wallet instead of the party, or nation. They are willing, if not happy, to run any risk of empowering and normalizing President Trump to get their hands on the treasury keys one last time. The silence with which they responded to the warnings of Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) when they pointed out the universally understood danger of Trump was almost poetic in its tragic capitulation to self-interest. But you know, first things first.

And second things second. The only other thing they need to hold the party together for is to cement their mutually beneficial takeover of the Supreme Court. One or two more implants should do it. Then we will no longer need to listen to or think about arguments about whether wealth should equal power. The debate, like the system, will be closed. And down through the ages we will hear the ringing assertion of the Citizens United case, affirmed and reaffirmed: that the appearance of influence or access obtained through campaign money “will not cause the electorate to lose faith in this democracy.” That’s right! The Supreme Court ruled on how you will think!