Fiscal Cliff 2013: Republicans Are Preparing to Cave on Taxes With the Help of Coulter and Kristol

Impact

Here’s a prediction: next week, Republicans will join Democrats in extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class while allowing them to expire on the top 2% of earners, essentially reneging on a core Republican promise.

The signs are on TV.

Republican media elites, I believe, are starting to make a conscious push to give their counterparts in Congress room to raise taxes by getting the public used to the idea. Raising taxes has been anathema to the Republican platform for so long, that someone needs to get out in front and pave the way. I think that's the reason, at least in part, we're starting to see some of the following.

In order of appearance:

Conservative commentator and author Ann Coulter: "We lost the election..."

 

Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol: "It won't kill the country if we raise taxes on millionaires."

 

Republican Ben Stein: "We need to raise taxes."