Possible tax increases stepped front and center as major concern of Republican political strategists and candidates last week. “The biggest difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans don’t want to raise taxes,” says Ed Rollins, co-chairman of National Republican Congressional Committee. . . . Stephen Hess, of Brookings, believes George Bush can probably weather political criticism of higher taxes “as long as he doesn’t raise income taxes.” . . . Heritage Foundation analyst Stuart Butler disagrees. “If there’s one thing that can bind the conservative movement together—if it’s not the threat of the Soviet Union—it would be George Bush reneging on the one campaign pledge that everyone remembers and that really distinguishes conservatives from liberals.” . . . Kevin Phillips continues to predict one or two Republican Senate takeovers in November providing we don’t have a recession. . . . Early polls in Hawaii show GOP Rep. Patricia Saiki running even with Sen. Dan Akaka (D.), appointed to Senate to fill out term of the late Spark Matsunaga (D.). … In North Carolina, winner of Democratic run-off to oppose Jesse Helms is expected to be second-place primary finisher, Mike Easley. In the crunch, North Carolina Democrats tend to choose the white candidate in the runoff. Easley is opposed by black former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt. … In Alabama, prospect that Republican Bill Cabaniss would succeed Democratic Sen. Howell Heflin (who helped torpedo Bork nomination) hurt by Heflin’s comment that Cabaniss was a “Grey Poupon Republican.” … If former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein wins California Democratic primary June 5, which seems likely, it will be “bad news for the GOP in this year’s most important race for governor,” say Evans & Novak. Los Angeles Times poll shows Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Pete Wilson leading Miss Feinstein by whisker-thin 41 to 38 per cent. . . . Also vitally important in June 5 vote are Propositions 118 and 119, which would make it more difficult for a Democratically controlled state legislature to gerrymander California congressional seats next year. … In Massachusetts, after televised debate among Democratic gubernatorial candidates, conservative Boston U. President John Silber moved a hair ahead of his liberal opponents Frank Bellotti and Evelyn Murphy in approval polls. But polls of convention delegates—most of them Dukakis supporters—show Silber shy of 15 per cent of delegate vote he needs to go to September primary. Convention is June 1 and 2.
President Alfredo Cristiani of El Salvador believes his country is the last battleground of the American Left since the fall of Daniel Ortega’s Sandinistas, a view confirmed by recent get-out-of-El-Salvador marches and demonstrations, and Democratic proposal to cut military aid to El Salvador by 50 per cent. … In Rumania, Ion Iliescu’s National Salvation Front appears to have won free (in that everyone voted) but hardly fair elections. The Front controlled Rumania’s TV during the campaign and its goon squads roughed up opposition candidates Ion Ratiu of Peasant Party and Radu Campeanu of Liberal Party at campaign rallies. And diplomats report that the Securitate, renamed the Siguranta, continues at its old game of bugging conversations. … It may soon be bye-bye for Soviet client Col. Mengistu in Ethiopia. Military advances by Eritrean People’s Liberation Front are eroding his power base, according to local diplomats.
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