Rick Perry’s Tax Plan Aims at the Mythical Conservative Voter

No It’s Not a Serious Plan for Governing; No It’s Not Meant to Be

Texas Gov. Rick Perry unveiled his tax plan, a plan that combined with expected heavy negative advertising is designed to re-start his campaign for the Republican nomination for President.  The Plan was pretty much as expected, and Mr. Perry was granted space on the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal to make his pitch.

Expect much of the mainstream media and political commentators to dissect the plan and treat it as a serious proposal. It is not.  Even if Mr. Perry were elected President with controlling majorities in both Houses of Congress this plan would not be enacted.  Nor is it designed to be.  It’s purpose is to appeal to the vast number of Conservatives who believe in myths rather than reality, and vote accordingly.

Conservative myths are deeply held, highly passionate beliefs that have no basis in fact, logic, analysis or history.  Examples of these myths are things like this:

The Civil War was fought over state’s rights, not slavery.

The New Deal prolonged the Depression.

Tax Cuts Pay for Themselves

Ronald Reagan Never Raised Taxes

With respect to Mr. Perry’s tax plan, some of the myths it appeals to are these:

Cutting Marginal Tax Rates encourages economic growth

The Estate Tax harms small businesses and forces liquidation of companies and farms

Cutting taxes for wealthy people will generate investment, employment and growth.

And so forth.

Mr. Perry’s goal is to take 2/3 of the 75% of Republican voters who are not supporting Mitt Romney.  The objective of his tax plan is to present himself as the more Conservative.  Mr. Romney’s economic plan is a general election plan, a plan to capture enough center-right independent voters who combined with the Republican vote will give him the Presidency.  Mr. Perry’s economic plan is a vehicle to deny Mr. Romney the nomination.

Everyone is now going to witness an experiment in political strategy.  Mr. Perry has done poorly in the debates, because voters didn’t like what they saw.  The question is now whether or not a radical conservative tax plan appealing to all of the prejudices of radical Conservative voters combined with negative TV advertising can topple Mr. Romney and thrust Mr. Perry back to the front of the race. 

This will be interesting and instructive, and not a happy experience for either Mr. Romney or Mr. Perry.