The Force That Holds Trump’s Coalition Together

When I was 5 or 6 years old, I pulled an extremely mean trick on my little brother. I told him that if he cleaned my room, I “might give him a dollar.” Once he had performed the chore, I told him I’d decided against paying him.

I thought of that shameful (and oddly Trumpian) moment a few weeks ago, when I began encountering news stories reporting that President Donald Trump was considering a plan to raise taxes on the rich. (Axios: “Scoop: Trump might let taxes rise for the rich to cover breaks on tips.” Semafor: “Trump told Republican senators he’s open to raising taxes on highest earners.”) As young children understand when they learn the meaning of words, almost anything might happen. Trump might put Joe Biden’s face on Mount Rushmore. That’s about as likely to happen as him signing into law a hike in the top income-tax rate.

It’s true that a Trump-administration staffer has floated a proposal to do so, and the fact that the president said he was open to it—as he says of nearly every idea lobbed his way—is inherently, if marginally, newsworthy. But the ...
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