Even in politics, there are certain things which are sacred. NOT raising taxes has been a principle which has defined the GOP and consistently been a core philosophy.
Those values appear to be in question today.
In 1991, President George HW Bush enjoyed the highest approval rating of any sitting president in the post-WWII era. At 89%, Bush had earned near unanimous support among Republicans and an overwhelming majority of Democrats.
The early years of the Bush presidency saw the Berlin Wall torn down, democracy spread across the former Soviet bloc in Eastern Europe, defeat of the fourth largest army in the world in a matter of days, the freeing of Kuwait, and victory in Operation Desert Storm defeating Saddam Hussein and Iraq.
Despite these remarkable accomplishments, with a recession at home, unemployment at 7.8%, and shaky public opinion of the economy, President Bush saw his approval numbers quickly begin to decline. To this day, it is still incomprehensible how Bush lost reelection when only 19 months earlier, nearly nine in 10 Americans approved of his presidency.
For Republicans, however, it was less incomprehensible. In fact, we identify the reason for the defeat easily. It was a broken promise consisting of a mere six words that forced Bush’s defeat. In August 1988 at the Superdome in New Orleans, then-vice president Bush accepted the Republican nomination for president with the promise: “Read my lips: No new taxes.”
In October of 1990, President George HW Bush abandoned his no-new-taxes pledge and signed into law the 1990 budget deal which raised taxes on Americans. As a result, Bush would earn a mere 37% of the vote for presidency. Bill Clinton would become the 42nd president of the United States.
Does history, in fact, repeat itself? Is it possible Republicans have forgotten the disastrous 1992 presidential election? Are Republicans so stupid to entertain raising taxes?
President Trump and his advisors are considering raising taxes. It’s on the table. It is an option. And Republicans, like lemmings off a cliff, seem to be following this assault on Republican orthodoxy.
I can think of no more reckless and irrational idea than President Trump and congressional Republicans considering a tax hike. Even the whisper of the notion is a direct assault on one of the foundational principles of the Republican Party.
US Sen. Thom Tillis may face a difficult primary, and is almost certain to have a difficult reelection. Will Tillis vote to increase taxes? First-term US Reps. Pat Harrigan, Mark Harris, Brad Knott, Addison McDowell, and Tim Moore enjoyed the endorsement of Trump and rode into office. Will they abandon long-held Republican principles and vote to increase taxes on North Carolinians?
The backlash to such a follow through on this insane idea would be catastrophic for the GOP. It would be immediate. Republicans would suffer severe losses in the midterm elections.
The insanity is even more baffling when you consider Republicans control every branch of government — House and Senate majorities, the White House, and a conservative-leaning Supreme Court. Why. . .why would Republicans commit mass suicide by casting a vote to raise taxes on Americans?
It is in President Trump’s DNA to be bold and choose bold courses of action. He did it in his first term. He is doing it again. He’s taken a tough posture on China, eliminated DEI programs, rid government of waste, and curbed illegal immigration. I applaud his bold action.
However, if Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill includes tax hikes on Americans, congressional Republicans should deem it dead on arrival. Should they not, they deserve to suffer electoral losses and accept their contribution to betraying Republicans and Republican morals.