The Jimulus

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), the self-described (sort of) “freedom fighter” against the Democratic majority, is rolling out the latest of his hard-right economic bills that has no chance of success. It’s instructive reading it, though; as Brian Darling of Heritage points out, it’s not far off the leading conservative think tank’s plan.

• Make the Bush tax cuts permanent and “take uncertainty out of the economy.”

• Let small businesses “write off more of their business expenses.”

• Cut the top corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent.

• Cut the capital gains tax.

• Cut spending and “reign in the out of control congressional earmarking practice.”

With the excepetion of the corporate tax cuts, these are all things that Democrats have done some rhetorical spadework for. Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama have both spoken out against the evils of earmarks. That was a testament to the work that people like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) did in pushing earmarks as an issue, but it’s not something Democrats want to concede as they’re trying to target spending on localized projects.