RNC Chairman Reince "Priebus is engaged in a little something known as 'lying.'"

[ProSense]

A TEST ON TAXES....

President Obama unveiled his debt-reduction plan this week, and as expected, included modest tax increases on the wealthy as a way to improve the nation's finances.

A few hours later, the Republican National Committee sent out a fundraising email to its supporters. The subject line read, "Confiscator-in-Chief." RNC Chairman Reince Priebus proceeded to tell prospective donors:

"The Confiscator-in-Chief is at it again -- right in time for Tax Day.

"Today, President Obama proposed trillions in new taxes to bankroll the liberal Democrats' big government policies at a time when our economy is still struggling, gas prices are soaring and unemployment is still alarmingly high. <...>

"The tax hikes President Obama wants will only fuel Washington's addiction to spending rather than help curb it. More importantly, they will hurt one of the strongest engines of growth and job creation in our economy: small businesses. And they will harm middle class families by taking more money from their pockets at a time when Americans need every dime to cover their expenses."

As a substantive matter, Priebus is engaged in a little something known as "lying." The White House plan intends to increase revenues to address the budget shortfall -- a problem Republicans created and like to pretend they care about -- doesn't hurt small businesses and wouldn't touch middle class families. The RNC deceives its donors, counting on the adage, "A fool and his money are soon parted." And for all I know, there are just enough suckers among rank-and-file Republicans for this to work.

The question, though, is whether the pitch will work on a larger scale.

For quite a while, the effort from the right has been to make tax increases a new third rail in American politics. The idea of bringing in additional revenue to help finance a modern government is simply supposed to be impossible, and it's been a largely successful campaign -- income tax rates have only shrunk over the last two decades, despite massive deficits.

<...>

From the comments:

If you take all the vowels out of Reince Priebus' name, you get RNC PR BS. 'Nuff said.

Perfect!

[hlthe2b]

1. what a weird name... aprropos for a Rethug liar, I guess...

I like the comment about removing the vowels and being left with RNC PR BS... How astute1

[Dokkie]

2. damn

you beat me to it. Cheers

[tanyev]

3. That's unfair. I'm sure he just never intended it to be a factual statement.