Mitch McConnell is seeking to conceal GOP's agenda — because it might cost them the midterms: columnist

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is actively seeking to conceal Republicans' unpopular political agenda from voters, according to a new analysis in The Washington Post.

"If Republicans take back control of Congress after the midterms, what would be your agenda?" NBC New reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell asked McConnell.

“That is a very good question. And I'll let you know when we take it back," the GOP leader replied.

Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin asked readers to "consider the arrogance and disdain for voters inherent in that answer."

"Responsiveness to the voters? Solutions to the problems they complain about, such as inflation?Only suckers would care about such things, Republicans seem to believe," she wrote. "They prefer to spend their time concocting cultural wedge issues, spreading conspiracy theories and obstructing progress on issues for which there is broad, bipartisan consensus (e.g., a path to citizenship, reasonable gun laws). But it would be misleading to say Republicans are not for anything; they certainly do have an agenda. The problem is that it is so unpopular they dare not remind voters about their plans."

Tax policy is where area where voters clearly know where Republicans stand.

"Republicans have clear views on taxes. They want to protect the super-rich from paying more taxes, even though billionaires became 62 percent richer during the pandemic and many pay practically no federal income taxes. And Republicans really don’t want corporations to pay their fair share either," Rubin explained. "Republicans are also for underfunding the Internal Revenue Service so that the agency does not have adequate resources to enforce existing tax laws. And they would like to do away with the child tax credit that cut child poverty by 40 percent. It is not a stretch to say Republicans actively promote income and wealth inequality."

She also noted that Republicans are opposed to abortion rights even in cases of rape and incest, but backs "personal choice" when it comes to vaccines and masks.

"Republicans are all in when it comes to keeping in place monuments to the slave-owning traitors of the Confederacy; removing anything from school curriculum that might make White people feel uncomfortable, including Martin Luther King Jr. and the KKK; and stopping the FBI from investigating death threats against school board members and other public officials. No wonder white supremacists are so enamored with the GOP these days," she wrote. "You don’t have to be a mind reader to figure out why McConnell wants to conceal Republicans’ agenda for as long as possible."

Read the full column.