Guys, buckle down. Take a deep breath, and grab a seat. Because Wednesday is the day we all feared, the day that Republicans pulled out the big guns. They aren’t just threatening insurrection, voter suppression, and a holy jihad against anyone who dares desecrate Mr. Potato Head. No, this is far more serious than the end of our democracy. 

Gasp. 

It’s actually quite funny. For a party that played pretend “populist” during the Trump years, that happily surrendered their fictional allegiance to “family values” and who shrugged as their president surrendered the country to our Russian geopolitical foes, there is one line that can’t be crossed, that can never be crossed—tax cuts for their rich friends. As far as Republicans are concerned, literally everything can be tossed aside when inconvenient, even their supposed religiosity—let’s rally around a man who sleeps with porn stars while his wife is at home with their baby! Because to them, God isn’t their higher power, money is. And to be even more specific, money for themselves, not the rest of us. Because they’ve been happy to suggest an infrastructure plan funded by “user fees” paid by regular Americans, while sparing the ultra rich and corporations any additional tax responsibilities. 

“There’s no doubt in my mind that anybody running next year should be talking about reversing what I think are going to be tax increases at the worst possible time,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, ignoring the incredible popularity of funding an infrastructure plan with tax increases on the wealthy. 

Raising taxes on $400,000 earners: 52% support, 39% oppose
Raising taxes on corporations: 51% support, 40% oppose

What’s funny is that according to Civiqs, only 76% of frequent Fox News viewers are opposed to raising taxes on the ultra rich! One-quarter either oppose or are on the fence about it, despite relentless Fox propaganda against tax increases. Obviously, Democrats are far more invested in seeing the rich pay their proper share, but this is an issue with cross-partisan appeal. People get that there is something inherently wrong with Jeff Bezos being worth $190 billion, double that from the start of the pandemic, even those too stuck in the right-wing echo chamber to admit otherwise. 

Democrats would be so lucky to have 2022’s midterm elections be fought over “tax the rich and get checks for your kids” versus “you don’t deserve anything and the rich deserve it all.” 

But hey, Republicans have a solution to this pesky problem! If we do what they want now, then they don’t have to go through all that bother of winning elections to get what they want when in power. 

“We ought to avoid the ups and downs, the uncertainty that comes with a change after every election,” he said.

Increasing taxes on the wealthy to pay for the things we desperately need would be “uncertainty” and “ups and downs” that we best avoid, you know, because. Of course, anyone remember Sen. Moran being oh so concerned about party-line governance when Trump was president and they had the Senate majority? 

Anyone? Anyone at all? 

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn has also threatened Democrats with a tax cut, if Democrats raise taxes now. As if they wouldn’t cut taxes anyway in the wealthy, because that’s the only trick in their bag. “They’re the party of big government. We’re the party of lower taxes and more freedom,” he said. “That’s kind of the problem with doing business this way on a purely partisan basis.”

Honestly, not seeing the problem. They’re the part of the rich, we’re the party helping people. Elections have consequences, just as they always have. Republicans are going to do what they always do, which always includes a tax cut for the wealthy, and Democrats need to stop worrying about what Republicans say or claim they’re going to say. None of it matters in the end. 

Deliver for people, the end.