In a show of profound desperation, Republicans have taken to smearing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. They are understandably concerned about Mitt Romney’s determination to cover up his past financial affairs by refusing to release more than one year of tax returns. But their coordinated attack on Reid reveals more about themselves than it does about the target of their wrath.

Reince Priebus: I’m not going to respond to a dirty liar who hasn’t filed a single page of tax returns himself.

Sen. Lindsay Graham: What [Reid] did on the floor was so out of bounds, I think he’s lying about his statement, knowing something about Romney.

John Sununu: Look, Harry Reid is a bumbling Senate leader […] They have pointed out that Harry is lying.

Oddly enough, the Republican whiners are doing precisely what they are accusing Reid of doing. They have no evidence that Reid is lying and have not bothered to substantiate their accusations in any way. They are just lashing out wildly with undisguised loathing. They might have a valid case if they merely complained that Reid has offered no proof for his assertion that a Bain investor told him that Romney didn’t pay any taxes for ten years. But to call Reid a liar only raises new questions about Romney.

Reid’s critics have no way actually knowing whether or not Reid is lying. And the reason they don’t know is because Romney insists on keeping his tax returns a closely guarded secret. Romney could clear this up in a matter of minutes by pulling out copies of the returns that he handed over to John McCain when McCain was vetting him for the VP slot. But apparently Romney believes that McCain is more deserving of this vital background information than the American people.

Romney has an obvious disdain for Americans, who he doesn’t believe are worthy of judging him. He regards his wealth and social caste as automatic exemptions from scrutiny. And he is just as reticent to reveal his political positions as he is his tax returns. He won’t disclose details of his foreign policy, his economic plan, or the budget cuts he proposes. And he gives the same reason for clamming up about all of it. He says that were his taxes/agenda to be public they would be criticized by his opponents. Well, isn’t that exactly what’s supposed to occur in a political campaign? The President’s record is fully available for consideration, but Romney has chosen to exhibit his cowardice and a distinct lack of confidence in what his record would reveal.

So what’s Romney afraid of? If a candidate fears having his positions be known to the public then they must be pretty awful positions. And if he fears having his background known, then there must be something awfully damaging that he’s trying to hide. And if not, then why wouldn’t he come clean and prove all of his critics wrong?