Congressional Republicans Need to Refocus Their Tax Policy

Although Republicans retain control in the House of Representatives, the American public does not favor their tax policy.

Part of a Series

Idea of the Day

Idea of the Day

On Election Day voters were given the choice between two totally divergent and incompatible political philosophies, and they seemingly voted for both. President Barack Obama had a clear win in the popular vote and nearly ran the board in the battleground states, piling up virtual landslide in the Electoral College with more than 60 percent of the total electors. His party’s victories in U.S. Senate races were even more impressive: Of the 33 Senate seats contested this week, Democrats—or Independents who will caucus with them—won 25 seats, or nearly 76 percent.

Even before the polling places opened on Tuesday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) gave an alternative interpretation of what he appeared to recognize was not going to be a good day for his party. “Listen, our majority is going to get re-elected. We’ll have as much of a mandate as he [President Obama] will … to not raise taxes,” he told Politico.

For more on this topic, please see:

Speaker Boehner’s ‘Mandate’ on Taxes by Scott Lilly

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