Another day, another bad “fiscal cliff” poll for the GOP. Bloomberg finds that nearly half of Republicans agree that the presidential election has given Obama a mandate to raise tax rates on the top income bracket:

The president goes into talks with Republicans amid broad public sentiment that his victory is a sign the electorate has spoken in favor of his positions on taxes and entitlements.

Sixty-five percent of Americans say the Nov. 6 results gave Obama a “mandate” on his proposal to raise tax rates on income over $250,000 and “to get it done.” Forty-five percent of Republicans agree.

At what point do Republicans get so fed up that they just give up and let the Democratic Party take the blame for the fallout from raising taxes during an economic downturn? For Senator Rand Paul, it sounds like that time has come: 

“I think what we should do first of all is put forward what we’re for. So if you’re in the House, the House leadership should put forward something that extends the Bush tax cuts forever and has significant spending cuts. And I think they pass that. If the Democrats won’t accept that and we’re unwilling to stay by our position, then I would say, let them pass a tax increase on the upper income folks, but let them do it with their votes not our votes. Republicans vote present in the House. Democrats can pass the tax increase with only Democrat votes. And then, the Democrats are the party of high taxes and the Republicans, we’re the party of lower taxes. And I think that’s the way it should be. …

Don’t give in by splitting the baby. Give in by voting present, let the Democrats pass an increase in the upper tax brackets. it comes over to the Senate, Republicans vote no, and it becomes a Democrat tax increase but not a Republican/Democrat tax increase, which I think is a mistake for Republicans.”

That would seem to pass Grover Norquist’s “no fingerprints” test. Republicans in the Senate will be attacked for voting no on a middle-class tax cut extension, but at least they won’t be saddled with blame over the top bracket tax hike. Also, the fact that Rand Paul is endorsing this proposal might make it a bit more palatable for Tea Party groups.