I disagree. Every election cycle we craft a message that leaves the folks in the rust belt without anything to interest them. It always focuses on nebulous concepts of Free Markets that don't resonate well with this segment. We are basically ceding these voters to the Rats who sell them on Big Gov't hand outs. This Manufacturing message is why he is starting to interest old Reagan Dems and some Union people who care about this. When it boils down to it, he is just lowering the taxes on this sector more than he lowers the rest. Not really a terrible sin. Ideally, I would love to see him zero all taxes on business for a couple years, but this is a good start.
Bingo, Lazlo!
Sounds like you understand free markets and limited government as poorly as Santorum does.
The reason our nation is going bankrupt and becoming divided against itself is because too many people are pursuing wealth through rent-seeking rather than through free enterprise.
If we reverse this trend we will reclaim our greatness, if we do not we will collapse.
What you propose is ignorance, cynicism, and corruption.
“Vote for me and I will give you a special benefit not available to others.”
“Vote for me and I’ll tax the other guy instead of you.”
This approach is unworthy of free citizens of a nation under God. That is not conservatism and it just isn’t right.
Lazlo, yes, Santorum’s “Made in the USA Plan”, combined with his -heritage- (grew up in steel town I think, grandson of coal miner etc), his ability to connect to all sorts of people (as the working man), his support for labor in some cases (huge sin??), -and- his castigation of the “elites” of the O administration, will work together to make Rick shine with many fishtowners. And his position against gay marriage, protection of religion etc, will work into it also. Romney can’t match any of this.
That’s why I really hope, for at least electoral purposes in this case where it is key that we beat O, strict free marketers will give Rick a pass this once. The tax differential is needed to ... differentiate... in favor of manufacturing, so we can more easily present a case to the working man & swing states. You explained it well, Lazlo.
Was talking about this with the wife just now.
Even she - a diehard sociallist - sees the sense in bringing manufacturing back home. She did raise one point, though, the definition of manufacturing.
We got talking about McDonalds - cooking burgers is not manufacturing. Making them is. She was curious as to whether the 0% corp tax would be for the entire company, or just the division that actually produces and freezes the food to be cooked.
Not seen anything on this point yet. How robust will the definition of manufacturing be?
This. Winning a national election is about building coalitions. Reagan understood that and so does Santorum.
Romney can't possibly build that coalition and Gingrich, while holding appeal to segments of the base, can't do it either.