Chris Hayes, in a blog post yesterday over at Red Clay Citizen, opined that Republicans have a messaging issue on taxes explaining why voters in a January Civitas Poll said they trusted Democrats over Republicans to hold down taxes.
 
First, let me just say that if you aren't aware of the work Civitas is doing on behalf of the conservative movement, you need to familiarize yourself right away.  The folks over there are good, hardworking people who wake up everyday dedicated to the conservative movement in North Carolina. 
 
That being said, Chris and I disagree on this issue.  Republicans don't have a messaging problem on taxes.  We have a credibility problem. 
 
 As Chris well knows, the majority of voters in North Carolina don't know which party controls the General Assembly, much less which individual legislators are proposing new tax options. 
 
If we have any messaging problems when it comes to taxes, it is that we lean on tax cuts as a message too often without explaining how tax cuts will help solve the problems we are facing and how they will provide relief to the average worker and family.
 
Fair or unfair, people take their cues for state politics from what happens on the national stage.  On the national stage, we just came through en election cycle where we were blamed for runaway spending that has put our country in a dire economic situation.  Voters are smart enough to know that when spending increases at an astronomical rate, tax raises are always sure to follow.  That damages our credibility.
 
We also allowed our opponent in the presidential race campaign on a platform of lower taxes for 95% of Americans.  Somehow, we ended up on the wrong side of the tax argument in the most visible election for voters.  That damages our credibility.
 
An encouraging sign has been found in the "stimulus" debate.  Republicans have done a reasonably good job of arguing for more jobs and less debt.  That is the kind of thing we want our party to be known for.
 
When you lose the trust of people, there is only one way to get it back.  Do what you say you will do. 
 
All the new messaging and rebranding in the world is no substitute for right action and standing up for grassroots conservatives.  That is what we must do to earn back the trust of the people of North Carolina and I believe we are on the right track once again.
 
I would welcome your thoughts below.
 
How can N.C. Republicans gain back the trust of voters on taxes and the other pressing issues of our time?