Payroll Tax Cut

Why The GOP's Payroll Tax Cut Cave Is An Even Bigger Deal Than You Think

Brian Beutler | February 13, 2012, 4:40PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and President Barack Obama

The GOP's accession to reality on the payroll tax cut is being cast as a key victory for Democrats and President Obama. Republicans caved, the payroll tax will almost certainly be renewed, and the economy won't take a tough hit just as the recovery's beginning to accelerate.

But it also reveals a flaw -- a potentially huge flaw -- in the conservative movement's generational strategy to roll back the federal safety net.

These might sound like two wildly disparate issues, but they're actually variations on a years-long theme. And the outcome of the payroll tax debacle bodes poorly for the GOP on the rest of their long-run goals.

Here's why.

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Conservatives

Survey Shocker: Conservatives, Liberals Enjoy Different TV Shows

David Taintor | December 7, 2011, 5:20AM

Conservatives and liberals may disagree on politics and policy, but at the end of the day, we all like to kick back to the same TV shows, right?

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Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani Will Only Get In The 2012 Race If The GOP Field Looks "Really Desperate"

Evan McMorris-Santoro | September 6, 2011, 2:31PM

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R)

Ex-America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani doesn't really have a home in the modern Republican presidential nomination system, he told a crowd in Washington today. And, he said, neither does anyone else not willing to hew to the farthest edge of social conservatism.

Giuliani stepped up to the podium at the National Press Club Tuesday to discuss the upcoming tenth anniversary of 9/11. But because he has actively kept talk of another run for President going for months now, he got some questions about it when his 9/11-focused lecture was over.

Once again, Giuliani said he was still considering a bid, but said that he's put off a decision until after the 10th anniversary of the attacks that propelled him from famous New York City mayor to international icon. However, Giuliani told the crowd, "I would have a hard time getting nominated," and said that he'd jump in only if the GOP field was looking "really desperate."

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Gay Marriage

Behind A Major Law Firm's Decision To Ditch Its Defense Of DOMA

Brian Beutler | April 25, 2011, 5:33PM

When the Atlanta-based law firm King & Spalding announced on April 18 that it would represent the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, it apparently didn't realize what a mess it had made for itself.

Exactly one week later, the firm reversed its decision, prompting a high-profile partner -- former Solicitor General Paul Clement -- to resign publicly, and House Speaker John Boehner's staff to issue a statement criticizing the firm for "its careless disregard for its responsibilities to the House in this constitutional matter."

As public relations debacles go, this was a doozy. But the firm must have calculated that the alternative would have been worse. In the intervening week, a series of public and behind-the-scenes developments made it clear that the firm would suffer recriminations for defending what many of its top clients and future recruits -- not to mention gay rights advocates -- consider to be an anti-gay law.

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Gallup

Americans Quicker To Embrace 'Conservative' Than 'Liberal' Tag

Jon Terbush | February 25, 2011, 4:58PM

Liberal is a four letter word.

Citing polling data culled from a year of nationwide surveys, Gallup found that there are more self-identified conservatives than liberals in every single state in America. Even in deep blue Rhode Island, where 29.3% called themselves liberals, even more people, 29.9%, identified as conservative.

That does not mean that that there are more Republicans than Democrats. but it does show that the conservative brand has a far more positive connotation than liberal does. Republicans -- especially those with presidential aspirations -- are quick to tout their conservatism at events like CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Committee. Democrats, meanwhile, are hardly rushing to form LPAC.

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