Conservative "Thought", Parts One & Two

Part One. 

The Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus says that a recent study of the party's troubles shows that "Our principles are strong but our message was weak."  The study recommends more GOP "outreach" to women and minorities.

Oh, lordy, you're killin' me!  What a hoot!  Reach out with what?  More attacks on equal pay and women's reproductive rights?  Self-deportation and Arizona-style immigration policy?  More voter suppression?  Outlawing affirmative action?  Opposing equal rights for gay people?  You're telling me the Republican party will make a conscious effort to turn itself into, you know, the Democratic party?  You think Michelle Bachmann, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are gonna let that happen?  Nice thought.  LOL!

GOP outreach is a contradiction in terms.  It is a scam, a con, a bald-faced attempt to sucker gullible people into believing the leopard has changed its spots.

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Part Two.

"According to my figures, you're fucked."

Wonder-Guv John Kasich has always been a true believer in the conservative orthodoxy.  You'll recall that, not so long ago, Kasich advocated the complete elimination of Ohio's income tax.  Once in office, he modified his stance -- an income tax cut would have to suffice.  And nothing shows a Republican's true conservative credentials like a tax cut -- no rhyme or reason required.

John-Boy's bright idea was to replace the lost revenue of his income tax cut with increased sales tax revenue -- essentially taking money out of one pocket just to put it back in another.  This begs the question:  Why bother?  (Maybe because replacing progressive income taxes with regressive sales taxes benefits higher incomes while burdening lower incomes.)

Well, it turns out that there is very little support for his sales tax expansion idea, and that part of the Kasich budget is dead.  Looks like our haircuts and movie tickets will be safe from sales tax, for now.  But guess what stays?  The income tax cut, of course.  All of our Statehouse R's agree it's a splendid idea! 

And how will we replace the loss of $4.3 billion ($3.1 B individual, $1.2 B corporate) in state tax revenue ????  Damned if we know.  We'll figure that out later.  Maybe.  Or not.

Absolutely brilliant GOP thinking!