The so-called “Middle Class” tax cut may be the most cynical and dishonest thing pushed by Trump and the right wing republican party yet. And, when are “we the people” going to figure this out? If you’re reading this and you watch Fox “news” (with Sean Hannity who is apparently, now, one of Trump’s top advisors) – do yourself (and the rest of us) a favor: STOP! There’s a reason studies find that viewers of Fox “news” are less “informed” even than Americans who watch NO news at all! Fox is a poorly disguised propaganda arm of the right wing push in American politics. When history is written about this era, Fox will be in the same light as Benedict Arnold was in early American history. (Right along with Trump and company) It’s shameful!
Yesterday, I watched a “snipit” on MSNBC where Sherrod Brown was castigating republicans for their dishonest portrayal of the so-called “Middle Class” tax cut. Listening to Orrin Hatch “defend” the republicans made me wonder how he (and the others) sleep at night. This “tax cut for the rich” is the most absurd, the most dishonest, and the most cynical in my 50+ years of watching politics in America. I still clearly remember the original “trickle down” tax cuts in Reagan’s first years and what they did to the economy and the deficits. Reagan’s original tax cut actually led to the “tax overhaul” of 1986 which republicans refer to as the last “overhaul” of the tax code while they’re supposedly “overhauling” it again this time. It’s just a complete LIE – what they’re doing is funneling money to corporations that don’t need it PLUS funneling BILLIONS to themselves and their benefactors. Instead of strengthening Medicare and Social Security, this action puts them in jeopardy – exactly what Paul Ryan’s been “about” for years. This tax cut is the result of rich republican DONORS demanding republicans give them a return on the MILLIONS they’ve donated over the past few years.
What that means is those “donations” weren’t intended to elect representatives who would do what’s best for “we the people,” BUT representatives who would RIG the system even FURTHER in favor of this group of people who just can’t get enough money. Trump, himself, and his family stands to gain over a BILLION dollars from this tax cut which he, predictably, LIED about many times when he’s said he wouldn’t gain a cent from it. As much as 50% of the Middle Class will pay MORE with that number going higher over the next few years (depending on how bad they damage the health insurance markets). The most CYNICAL part of this is that states that tend to vote democratic are TARGETED for higher taxes. By eliminating the deductions for SALT – State and Local Taxes – people in high tax states will pay higher federal taxes. Evidently, this is the republicans way to “get back” against states foolish enough to allow liberals to vote.
I heard one republican state that if they don’t pass this tax cut they will be “destroyed” in the 2018 Mid Term elections. I get the feeling that after they pass it, they’re going to get “destroyed” worse than if they don’t. When Trump’s “base” learns the truth about what he’s actually doing MANY of them will turn dramatically against him. For example, Trump promised he’d protect Medicare and Medicaid claiming, almost in the same breath, that Hillary Clinton was going to destroy them. Well, as usual, Trump is doing exactly what he accused Mrs. Clinton of planning to do had she won the election (and, at the time, the “allegation” was absurd on its face). Almost the minute this bill is signed into law Medicare will be cut by something like $25 BILLION just in the next year because of a provision called “Paygo” that requires, evidently, that Congress “pays as it goes” – in other words, “we the people” are going to be “finding” creative ways to pay for this “tax cut for the rich.” Republicans, of course, put a “poison pill” in the Senate version of the “tax cut” where they repeal the “Individual Mandate” of the Affordable Care Act. Estimates are this, if it passes, will cut 13 MILLION people from health insurance and INCREASE the premiums for the rest of us by an additional 10% over the increases already announced.
This is how they work. The tax cut for an average Middle Class family might be in the neighborhood of a few hundred dollars while their insurance bill goes up over a thousand – which even people who are poor at math can figure is a losing proposition. I remember when I was working as a teacher many teachers complained that their salaries were not outpacing inflation – which was true. What was interesting though, as I look back on it, was how increased medical costs always outpaced any increase in salary. Of course, I was always thankful to be one of the “lucky” Americans to have health insurance – but I always noticed when my salary went up 2% the cost medical insurance went up 5% or more. This is EXACTLY what the republicans have in store for MILLIONS of Americans with this so-called tax cut. Many, in the Middle Class, may see a small decrease in their tax bill, but it’s likely to be offset by a more significant increase in their health insurance. I believe the idea of repealing the individual mandate is to almost encourage many young, low income, Americans to NOT purchase health insurance – to HIDE the FACT their taxes would be significantly going up!
So, there will be republicans claiming “everyone got a tax cut” while ignoring the FACT maybe half of the Middle Class will LOSE when figuring “disposable income.” Again, Trump himself and his family stand to gain over a BILLION dollars from this tax cut. And, the MILLIONAIRES and BILLIONAIRES in his cabinet will gain much more than they lost be taking government salaries (although, many of them are making up for lost revenue by chartering planes on the government “dime” – including the Treasury Secretary who’s largely responsible for these tax cuts AND the draconian budget that’s targeting so many important social safety net programs intended to lift up the poor in America). It’s almost as if they want us to be a “third world nation.” Do you think their idea of how to get factories back in America is to push our workers’ wages down so they are competitive with countries like Mexico and China? This tax cut is aimed at Wall Street NOT Main Street. As the saying goes, “What else is new?”
I’m confident not one democrat will vote for this (although Trump has targeted a few senators up for reelection in states he won – we’ll see just how strong they are) but democrats don’t have enough votes to stop it. Sadly, as will be the case until at least 2018, we are depending on at least three republicans in the Senate to find a conscience. I wrote a while back about Jeff Flake’s inspiring retirement speech on the Senate floor due to his inability to run for reelection as a “Trump republican,” yet, there he is voting for virtually EVERY Trump issue. If this was a real “Middle Class Tax cut” and wasn’t going to blow up the deficit, I’d be all for it. Flake and Bob Corker claim to be against anything that increases the deficit – yet this bill will increase the deficit by at least $1,5 TRILLION over the next 10 years by conservative estimates. I can virtually guarantee it will be much WORSE than that. Hopefully, both Flake and Corker will vote against it – but, I’m not holding my breath.
Personally, I believe the actions being taken by Trump and the republicans right now are akin to taking a “pin” and poking the “bubble” that is forming from the booming economy. Trump was handed an economy on the rise that needed a boost from the bottom up to become truly a strong sustainable entity. As would be predictable from republicans they’re giving the “boost” to the top and at some point the “bubble” will burst and they won’t know how to fix it. Their “tax cut for the rich” will simply put more money in the pocket of the top 1% and more money for corporations to hoard or use to further contract competition by allowing the large corporations to “gobble up” the smaller ones so “we the people” have even less choices in areas that protect our “freedom.” For example, the number of media outlets is shrinking and conservative corporate interests are consolidating their propaganda POWER in order to continue brainwashing all those people who believe Trump is telling the truth when his lips are moving. This is serious!
This all is not happening by accident. I’ve pointed out many times on this site republicans long ago adopted the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels, the head of propaganda for the Third Reich in 1930’s Germany. (If you repeat a LIE enough people will believe it’s true) This is not something we hear talked about in the so-called “liberal media” for “whatever” reason – I certainly don’t understand why “news anchors” as the people on MSNBC call themselves – are not REPEATEDLY pointing this out. They’re pointing out the HUGE number of LIES Trump has spewed since his inauguration – something approaching 2000 according to the Washington Post – but, I haven’t heard much more than a “peep” as to why all the LIES are coming “fast and furious” from other republicans as well. It’s not just Trump – but, anyone who’s going to stay in his administration for any length of time MUST be willing to spew the LIES.. I kind of felt sorry for Sean Spicer BUT, I’m feeling as though Sarah Sanders is much more willing to live in Trump’s universe of “alternative facts” – as Kellyanne Conway, another “master LIAR’ put it. If you haven’t noticed republican pundits tell the SAME LIES as if they’ve been programmed. Well, they essentially have been.
These tax cuts are so important to republicans – and getting SOMETHING accomplished THIS YEAR is even MORE important – so they’re pushing them through at breakneck speed to the point where I don’t believe many of the people voting on the bill have any idea of what’s in it. I certainly don’t – I’m just making predictions based on the superficial stuff that’s made the “news” and the history of republicans and what you can count on from them. So, I guess the FACT that 5% of their “MIDDLE CLASS” tax cut is actually intended for those in the “Middle Class” we should all be grateful and be willing to look the other way as they gut Medicare and Medicaid, damage the Affordable Care Act causing MILLIONS to be without health insurance, and increase the DEFICIT by about two to three HUNDRED BILLION dollars per year all the while as they “inflate” another bubble. I’m guessing, when it “bursts” they’ll find a way to blame President Obama.
And, keep in mind, this is all being done with a president who apparently COLLUDED with the Russians to get elected (although he got 3 MILLION less votes than Mrs. Clinton) and admitted on the Access Hollywood tape to being a sexual predator. And, now republicans are depending on someone with similar accusations against him to win the election in Alabama to ensure they have another republican vote. To me (I guess I’m a liberal – although I’m a Christian – I’m guessing Trump and his followers would suggest that’s impossible) both the COLLUDING with the Russians AND the sexual misconduct makes Trump unacceptable. Actually, the “Russia thing,” to me, is the more disqualifying. One thing I agree with Trump (apparently based on the words of Ms. Sanders) is that the voters get to decide the outcome of elections. Well, unless the candidate breaks the law – like COLLUDING with a foreign nation OR OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE – or other “high crimes and misdemeanors” – then Congress SHOULD do their job and IMPEACH.
In the case of Judge Moore – I, like many, find the man despicable without the allegations of sexual misconduct. Yet, I agree that the voters of Alabama SHOULD get to vote for the candidate of their choice. I still am struggling as to how the so-called “conservative Christians” are able to look the other way from someone who’s an admitted sexual predator. They overwhelmingly supported Trump so we shouldn’t be surprised that we’re seeing an “instant replay” in Alabama with Roy Moore who apparently has always “had it in” for the younger ladies. He’s been accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old minor about 30 or so years ago. I actually heard the governor of Alabama state she believes the women who’ve made various accusations of sexual misconduct against Moore yet she’s going to vote for him because it’s more important to have a republican in Congress than someone who lacks moral clarity. (That statement really caused me to pause) I’m really confused as to how the people supporting Moore and Trump call themselves Christians.
Had both Moore and Trump admitted to their misbehavior (well, Trump actually did on the Access Hollywood tape) and asked the women for forgiveness – similar to what Al Franken did when he was recently accused of sexually harassing a lady on a USO tour 11 years ago – then I’d be more likely to understand and be more accepting. I believe we all have issues of one sort or another and when another person’s been harmed it’s appropriate to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Trump and Moore are lashing out at their accusers instead – both threatening to file lawsuits against the women. This is why so many women NEVER say anything after experiencing sexual harassment or worse. Moore actually told one of his victims, according to her report, not to tell anyone what happened because “NO ONE” will believe you. Hopefully, that form of intimidation will no longer work.
The bottom line here is that republicans NEED Roy Moore in the Senate for at least the vote on this tax cut. (although, no one’s reporting on how the democrat from Alabama would vote) If our Congress was actually working for “we the people” instead of Wall Street, this wouldn’t be at issue. In reality, if they really did give a tax cut that WAS aimed at the Middle Class – meaning those earning less than, say, $150,000 (for a couple) were the MAJOR recipients of the cut, the economy would actually get a significant boost – because the money would get SPENT. And, the tax cut WOULD actually lead to more revenue for the government and help to reduce the deficit to the point where we could start paying down the national debt. I’m not sure when “we the people” will come to understand that republicans complain about the deficit ONLY when a democrat is in the “White House.” If you’re reading this and you live in a state where your Senator is republican – call him or her and ask them to vote against this terrible bill. Remind them that their constituents, in reality, are who they owe their allegiance – not the wealthy “donors” who are clamoring for a “return on their ‘investment.'”