Bold Colors And (Mitt's) Pale Pastels

IBD Editorials ^ | October 25, 2011 | Editor

[Kaslin]

Fiscal Policy: This is a time for big ideas that take some political risk. Rick Perry's flat-tax solution largely fits that bill, and so do the proposals from most others in the GOP field. Then there's Romney.

Perry this week finally unveiled the sort of detailed economic plan that, in a well-planned campaign, he would've had ready a couple of months ago. So it may be too late to help him much. But it's never too late to inject good ideas into the political mix. Perry's plan isn't perfect, but it would be a huge improvement over the laws in place now.

Perry is taking some political risk in the service of sound policy. It's not that his 20% flat tax would be unpopular with Republican primary voters. But if he got the party's nomination, Democrats and most of the media would pounce on the fact that his plan lowers taxes for the rich.

Raising taxes on high-income Americans is a perennially popular idea. Americans would have to be convinced, as they were by Ronald Reagan in 1980, that the economy is in need of growth-producing tax reform even if the rich reap much of the immediate benefit.

That's the price of coming out with detailed plans in a primary. But such risk taking can have a big payoff in November 2012.

Let's say Perry wins the presidency by campaigning on a clear-cut platform that incorporates the tax cuts and spending reforms he has outlined. That platform then becomes a clear-cut mandate.

He can tell Congress he has the American people on his side, not just because they like him, but also because they want to see his policies enacted. He starts with the wind at his back.

[Rudder]

It would seem class warfare is now foisted upon all of us.

Thanks, zero.

[Paperdoll]

The media is giving a 2 percenter, Rick Perry. millions of $ in freebies today! Sound bites all over the place, some as long as long as 30 seconds. It screams of fright that Herman Cain would really mess up their plans for pushing the country over the cliff! Please pray for the safety of a fine man.

We do not need any sniveling puppet in the White House, so do not be taken in by what the media does and says to bring down the man who should be president!

[Jabba the Nutt]

Here’s a question I have for Romney: Gov. Romney, can you explain how if you get everything you want in your 59 point plan, tell us how that will be enough to save the country.

[napscoordinator]

Let’s say Perry wins the presidency

Hasn’t America suffered enough?

[TexMom7]

I just saw him on O’Reilly.

He did really good.

Hit Romney pretty hard on his flip flopped positions.

O’Reilly’s eyebrows went up a few times. LOL!