Democratic Ad War Targets Millionaires Greed And Reality Disconnect

Following the expression-route opened up by the Occupy Wall Street protestors, democratic candidates across a string of red states are running ads spotlighting and attacking covetous and insatiable millionaires.

The latest in this series of ads made its appearance Tuesday in Montana. The ad targeted Rep. Denny Rehberg (R), reputed to be the 62^nd most wealthy member of Congress. He is contesting against Sen. Jon Tester (D).

The ad, sun by the state Democratic Party, categorically states that having spent 12 years in the urban and sophisticated climes of Washington, he, Rehberg has forgotten his roots. The ad further alleges that inspite of being in an exclusive wealthy list, he has to pay less tax than the rest of the people in Montana and yet he voted to protect special tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.

This is the second time in two weeks that ads have specifically targeted him. Earlier he had been accused of protecting “big bankers on Wall Street.” This time the ad raises the issues of his voting in favor of the rich that include his opposition to the Buffet Rule that sought to increase taxes on millionaires and his support for various GOP budget cuts.

The Republicans are attempting to stall Medicare, is the allegation that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in North Dakota is making. They allege that Rep. Rick Berg, the GOP’s Senate candidate is pushing pro-millionaire policies at the cost of Medicare.

“He voted to give billions in tax breaks to millionaires, while essentially ending Medicare for the rest of us,” the narrator in the ads.

Similar ads have made their appearance in Missouri attacking Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) who was the target of Republican ads that were funded by super PACs and non-local wealthy donors. The ads question why outsiders should have any interest in attacking Claire.

“They’re not from around here. Spending millions to attack and attack. They want to end Medicare as we know it; Claire fights to protect it. They want more tax breaks for multimillionaires and oil companies; Claire cuts taxes for the middle class.”

Another Ad in Nebraska, hit out at special interests and state lawmaker Deb Fischer, the Republicans’ Senate candidate. The ad reminds the people that Fischer had signed the contentious pledge to raise no taxes that had the backing of activist Grover Norquist.

The ad further accuses Fischer of “hobnobbing” and mingling with the people, whom such policies would benefit. The ad says, “Fischer believes millionaires should get special tax breaks,” suggesting that Fischer had a personal interest in getting policies that would benefit the people he hobnobbed with.

An analyst says that he understands what the Democratic hopes to achieve by sending out these messages to the voters, but feel that it may not succeed. Everyone knows that millionaires are a favorite punching bag in times of elections and any policy that targets them or their wealth goes down well with the people.

Peverill Squire, a University of Missouri political scientist said that the ads were an attempt by the Democrats to amalgamate the popular anger against the wealthy and turn it to their advantage.  “Taxing millionaires’ polls pretty well,” he said.

Squire says that the ads from Republican allies are more than those by the Democrat-linked groups. Perhaps the anti-millionaire ads are an attempt by the Democrats to divert attention from the never-ending GOP ads that bombard TV screens in every household.