Who Benefits from 9-9-9?

It might be the flavor of the week, but how does Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan actually hold up? Not well, it turns out: On Meet the Press, host David Gregory held the former pizza executive’s feet to the fire when he revealed why the plan is problematic. Aside from raising the sales tax, it’s unclear if Cain’s plan would allow the wealthiest Americans to pay less, while increasing the burden on the poor and middle class. The 2012 hopeful, however, said it’s a matter of behavior: “You and others are making assumptions about what wealthy Americans would do with their money and you’re making assumptions about the middle class and the poor. You can’t predict the behavior.”

Gingrich On 9-9-9: No, No, No

Herman Cain is high on Newt Gingrich’s list—just not for president. On State of the Union, the former speaker said that while he thinks the pizza magnate turned aspiring politician is a “terrific” person, his catchy economic plan is a “hard sale” when examined closely. “If Herman figures out how to do it all right and if he can explain a 9 percent sales tax so people decide they want it, he has a good chance to be the nominee,” he said. As for any parallels between Gingrich’s campaign and the other candidates, the 2012 hopeful gave this less-than-subtle swipe: “I’m deliberately running a campaign of substance.”

Axelrod: Romney’s a Flip Flopper

Will the 2012 race come down to a face-off between Mitt Romney and President Obama? On This Week, strategist David Axelrod said only time will tell who becomes the GOP nominee, but nevertheless had some less-than-flattering words about Romney. “I think there’s this question about what his core principles are…Time and time and time again, he shifts,” Axelrod said, citing the former Massachusetts governor’s changing views on gay marriage, the environment, and abortion. And, he didn’t stop there: “There is no principle too large for him to throw over.” 2012: It’s officially on.

Cantor to Obama: Let’s Work Together

Here’s a way to agree to disagree: On Fox News Sunday, Eric Cantor took a hiatus from playing devil’s advocate to endorse bipartisan cooperation on the jobs bill. The House Majority Leader said he’d like to work with the president—and managed to get in a jab, naturally. “We want the president to work with us. We want him to stop the campaigning. Let’s go find the things that are in common between this plan and his,” he said, with the GOP plan in hand. Still, the congressman refused to answer how many jobs the Republican plan would create, dodging the question by criticizing Moody’s Analytics.

Feinstein: Iran Is ‘Escalating’

Was Iran’s covert terror plot an isolated incident? Probably not, according to Dianne Feinstein. On Fox News Sunday, the Intelligence Committee chairwoman said that given Iran’s history, it’s unlikely that the attempt to assassinate the Saudi ambassador was the first time the country has conducted a plot overseas. “Iran is escalating, I believe, its nuclear development. Iran is increasingly hostile…It’s a very dangerous situation,” she said. In the future, Feinstein added, the situation could become dire if Iran and the U.S. continue on a “collision course.”

Wasserman-Schultz: GOP Bill Would Create ‘No Jobs’

What’s the only job Republicans are interested in? Barack Obama’s, according to Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. On State of the Union, the DNC chairwoman said the GOP is only interested in a jobs bill that would aid corporations. “The American Jobs Act would be an immediate shot in the arm to the economy that would create jobs now. The so-called Republican jobs bill would just allow corporate America to write their own rules again,” she said. As for the lackluster support behind the president’s bill, the congresswoman said that there is, in fact, widespread support.

Issa Still Pursuing ‘Fast and Furious’

The saga continues. On Face the Nation, Darrell Issa said he will continue to pursue inconsistencies in the Fast and Furious case, an ATF sting that trafficked hundreds of weapons into Mexico and left a border agent dead. The California representative showed subpoenaed documents from the Department of Justice that are incomprehensible, due to redacted information, and asked for Eric Holder’s cooperation on the case. “If he now wants to say that he knew a lot about it from the at least five briefings he had, but he didn’t know as much, we’d like him to come back and say, ‘Okay, that was an inaccurate statement',” Issa said.