The two "R's" - Reagan and Revenue...

Obama gave his response to the House's so-called 2012 budget on Thursday. In that speech, he invoked the two R's - Reagan and revenue!   Although I agree that invoking Ronald Reagan and Bush 43 for their reckless and his tax cuts to make a point about revenue loss over time puts the blame where it belongs - I do see it as something of a missed opportunity.

Reagan - Revenue - & GE...

Lest I seem "soft on the republicans" for creating this mess let me digress a moment and refer back to a recent article in the New York Times "G.E.'s Strategies Let it Avoid Taxes Altogether". In that wonderful example of journalism (and I mean that sincerely) there is a passage about Reagan and corporate tax loopholes...Even in the 80s, GE had managed to create some rather aggressive "creative accounting" that allowed it to legally avoid paying large sums in taxes.  The loopholes that this type of gamesmanship involved was closed by none other than Ronald Reagan himself - who commented to his Treasury Secretary "I didn't realize things had gotten that far out of line."

Invoke Reagan's Anger about Tax Loopholes...

Here is why this is a missed opportunity.  Progressives already deride the Reagan and Bush 43 era tax cuts as disastrous for our country. And rightly so...but the point is somewhat moot because it falls on deaf ears with the rest of the population.  But.... in spite of that underlying reckless ideology -  the fact remains that Reagan DID try to close loopholes which allow GE and other large multinational corporations to evade paying their fair share.

As we all know - the loopholes are back - and they are bigger and badder than they ever were during the Reagan era.   So why not invoke Reagan to redirect the conversation back to a place where the middle and not-so-far-right wingers for whom Reagan still resonates can identify?   Praising Reagan rather than pounding him might leave the right off- balance.  It certainly creates an argument that is tougher disavow given that the far-right has literally been clinging to Reagan's coat tails for the last 25 years.  To those in the middle and even to some on the right - invoking Reagan's opposition to loopholes for large and powerful corporate entities might help redirect the message and the conversation.

Redirecting the Message:

The progressive message is correct.  But it doesn't resonate - and we have to admit that it does not and beat the right-wingers at their game of deception and half-truths.  So when a clever opportunity presents itself to use an iconic figure like Reagan to redirect the message - why do progressives continually miss the boat?

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