Inside the Beltway: Wear Breitbart

NEWS AND OPINION:

Now available: a new memorial T-shirt for conservative publisher and provocateur Andrew Breitbart, who died suddenly on Thursday. The “Breitbart is Here” T-shirt features his image and an additional wish: “Keep Andrew’s spirit alive and help support his family.” Manufacturer Anthem Studios provides an assurance that all profits will go to Mr. Breitbart’s survivors.

The cotton shirt, for men or ladies, is $20. See details here: anthemstudios.net. The designer is an illustrator named Big Fur Hat. “I smell a prairie fire. Some biggies have emailed and are of the opinion that Breitbart, in death, has more impact than most in life,” Mr. Hat observes at his website (iowntheworld.com).

LIMBAUGH SCORECARD

The Blaze, the Daily Caller, Hot Air, Michelle Malkin, Examiner.com, The Gateway Pundit. (Among news organizations, blogs and analysts who question whether Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke is a “coed,” or a 30-year-old veteran women’s activist, or as Mrs. Malkin puts it, “Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s new press secretary.”)

Emily’s List, MoveOn.org, National Organization for Women, Ms. Magazine, Democrats.com, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Flush Rush Now. (Among interest groups or other organizations urging the public to “condemn Rush Limbaugh” for the radio host’s recent untoward remarks about Ms. Fluke following her testimony before Congress, for which he has apologized.)

YOU BETCHA

As Super Tuesday looms, a Reuters poll finds former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania tied with 32 percent of voter support in Ohio, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich rules Georgia with 38 percent, says an Atlanta Journal Constitution/Mason Dixon poll. Mr. Santorum leads in Tennessee with 35 percent, followed by Mr. Romney with 31 percent, Mr. Gingrich with 20 percent, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas with 9 percent, says an American Research Group poll.

Paddy Power, which faithfully offers odds on American politics, says Mr. Romney is the favorite to win in Virginia, Ohio, Vermont and Massachusetts. Mr. Santorum will capture Tennessee and Oklahoma, and Mr. Gingrich will win Georgia, predicts the Irish group, which is offering 10/11 odds that Mr. Romney collects more than 5.5 states.

“We can’t write off the rest of the candidates just yet. But the odds do suggest that it could be an amazing Tuesday for Romney,” the betting concern notes.

TAXING SITUATION

The U.S. soon will have the highest corporate tax rate on the planet. So says Americans for Tax Reform, which tallied totals and consulted the calendar.

Japan lowers their corporate income tax rate from 39.5 to 35 percent on April 1, giving the U.S. “the dubious distinction of possessing the highest corporate income-tax rate in the developed world — a federal/state integrated rate of 39.2 percent,” says spokesman John Karch.

The average in the developed world is 25 percent. Six major trading partners — Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and France — will all have a lower rate. Capital and jobs will continue to flow overseas, Mr. Karch warns.

President Obama last month proposed a plan to raise net taxes, but in the process lower the U.S. corporate rate to about 32 percent. That simply isn’t worth it,” he adds.

GINGRICH GASSING UP

No matter what his chances on Super Tuesday, Newt Gingrich is fierce. He’s launched a 30-second campaign ad in five primary states touting his plan for $2.50 per gallon gas by increasing domestic production and cutting regulatory red tape. Meanwhile, Herman Cain, J.C. Watts and daughter Jackie Gingrich Cushman embark on a “$2.50 Gas Tour” in Oklahoma to support the message on Monday, with stops in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Midwest City.

“We’ve completely overregulated ourselves, and our dependency on foreign oil is problematic. A lot of conservative voters will quickly identify with this message,” former Oklahoma Republican Party state director Chad Alexander tells Inside the Beltway.

Mr. Gingrich himself is currently campaigning in Tennessee, will roar through Alabama on Tuesday, then settle in to await the returns in Atlanta by evening. In a post-primary world, he and wife Callista return to Alabama on Wednesday, then on to Mississippi and Kansas at week’s end.

OCCUPY TITANIC

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking is April 12. The event has spawned a worldwide frenzy across media and popular culture. It also gets analysts pondering. Like Katherine Howe, an author who teaches American studies at Cornell University, who declares there’s a link between the Titanic and, uh, Occupy Wall Street.

“One of the reasons we’re still so obsessed with the Titanic is because of the ridiculous concentration of wealth that it carried. Details would include Mrs. Eleanor Widener’s million-dollar pearls, John Jacob Astor IV, the richest man in the world in 1912, who died on Titanic. A first-class cabin ticket cost the equivalent of $90,000 in contemporary dollars,” she observes.

“There is a lot to be said about the relatively low mortality for first-class passengers, versus the high mortality for third class, and the very, very high mortality for the crew. The Titanic was a potent symbol even before it went down,” Mrs. Howe concludes.

POLL DU JOUR

• 71 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Israel; 80 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats agree.

• 19 percent overall have a favorable view of the Palestinian Authority; 15 percent of Republicans and 22 percent of Democrats agree.

• 10 percent overall have a favorable view of Iran; 6 percent of Republicans and 12 percent of Democrats agree.

• 61 percent overall say their “sympathies” lie more with Israel than with the Palestinians; 78 percent of Republicans and 53 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A Gallup poll of 1,029 U.S. adults conducted Feb. 2-5 and released Friday.

• Squawks, squeaks to jharper@washingtontimes.com