How Herman Cain Blindsided the GOP

As opinion polls christen Herman Cain the new GOP frontrunner, his opponents have settled on a line of attack: his “9-9-9” plan, which would pave the way for a flat tax. GOP candidates struggled in Tuesday night’s debate to explain that Cain’s scheme would raise taxes on many Americans. But Slate’s Dave Weigel says the attacks aren’t sticking because the 9-9-9 plan taps into a deep well of Republican voter angst: “Conservatives want taxes to be simple. They want them to be fair. If other Republicans didn’t see the 9-9-9 craze coming, they haven’t been paying attention.”