Join Us Tuesday Night for O-BINGO!
On Tuesday at 9:00 PM Eastern, President Obama will address a joint session of Congress. To help get you through the 50-minute speech, use our handy Bingo card to check off terms and phrases likely to be used. As a bonus, print out the different versions of the card and watch the speech with your friends or family.
KEY:
“Since the Great Depression” – The economic one, not the feeling you’ve had since he signed the “stimulus” bill.
“Save or create” jobs – Obama’s new metric whereby he can claim credit for the outcome no matter what happens (how exactly does one determine the number of "saved" jobs?)
“Crisis” - Excuse to hike taxes and grow the government per Rahm Emanuel’s theory: “Never let a crisis go to waste."
“Stimulus” – The 1,000 page Pelosi-Reid-Obama pork bill rushed through in the dead of night with no transparency and that not a single member of Congress who voted for it actually read.
“Hope” – The optimistic expectation, against all evidence that this government will be the first in the history of time to succeed in spending its way out of economic problems.
“Change” – Take-home pay of future generations due to massive spending increases and government expansion.
“Bipartisan” – "Pelosi and Reid get to decide what we'll do, but I'll have you over for tea first."
“Children and grandchildren” – The people picking up the tab.
“Shovel-ready” – Vital projects that somehow are not important enough to receive funding through the regular appropriations process at the local, state, or federal level.
“Toxic assets”- Now the responsibility of those who followed the rules and made wise decisions.
“Failed policies of the past” – An overspending problem by George W. Bush to be expanded by Obama
“Investment” – Government spending.
“Sacrifice” – Tax hikes.
“As I’ve said before” – Prepare for a poll tested line from stump speeches.
“Make work pay” – Writing welfare checks through the tax code (and then calling it a tax cut).
“Climate change” – (Formerly known as Global Warming) The natural cycles of the sun and the four seasons.
“FDR” – The last President to attempt and fail to spend the country’s way out of a hole.
“Let me be clear” – Warning to “have your shovel ready.”
“Executive pay” – A serious problem because large cash awards are only appropriate when politicians dole out taxpayer money to the pet projects of their sons, brothers, wives, or campaign contributors.
“Protecting responsible homeowners” – Forcing you to pay your neighbor’s mortgage.
“Trillion-dollar deficit that we've inherited” – Bush overspending – which Obama just doubled.
“Essential services” – Government programs that employ unionized bureaucrats.
“Vulnerable Americans” – People that Obama wants to make dependent on the government.
“Tax cuts to 95 percent of working families” – See “Make Work Pay”
“Alternative energy”– Energy that is either too expensive or hasn't succeeded in the free market on its own (if it worked, it would just be called “energy”)
More from Americans for Tax Reform
End of Session Apocalypse in Albany
The Empire State is in decline. It hasn’t been sacked by barbarians, but plundered from within by special interests looting taxpayer dollars.
Now, after passing a budget loaded with taxes and fees, legislators are pushing a dangerous, and unaffordable list of progressive priorities with a couple months left in New York’s legislative session.
That means single-payer socialized medicine is on the table in Albany. That, despite the fact it would cost $159 billion, which would nearly double the state’s already bloated budget.
The New York Health Act would eradicate private health insurance - far from giving people a choice in their health care, perhaps the most personal choice people have. And it would do so to help around 5 percent of New Yorkers who don’t have any insurance. When you consider some of them may not have insurance by choice, it makes it even more clear single payer is not about helping people who need insurance, but finding an excuse to put government in charge of a huge aspect of peoples’ lives.
A hearing is reportedly going to be held soon, though there is still resistance to the bill in the Senate, even though Democrats took over the chamber last election cycle.
New York lawmakers are also considering a bill that would destroy family farms. Farm workers are not able to unionize and strike, and are exempted from certain labor rules like overtime because the nature of farming requires peak work periods.
Now, some lawmakers want to undo that, with a bill that would allow collective bargaining, and mandate overtime pay, called the Farm Labor Fair Practices Act. This would impose crushing burdens on farms that already operate on thin margins, forcing them to engage in convoluted hiring practices to try to avoid new costs. Overtime pay alone is estimated to cost farms nearly $300 million (Farm Credit East).
Further, the “New York Farm Bureau, which opposes the legislation, say their farm workers do not want the 8-hour workday instituted because there are only limited times of the year when they can work.”
This, like the Department of Labor’s never-ending consideration of eliminating the tipped-wage credit, represents government doing workers a favor that they don’t want. Workers are smart enough to figure out that if government gets too involved in their industry, their jobs are at risk and they won’t make any money. Given that New York lost 9 percent of the state’s farms in five years, this proposal could be the final nail in the industry’s coffin.
Adding insult to injury, the bill is being pushed by a city politician, Queens Senator Jessica Ramos.
Also on the labor front, an absurd bill would let striking union workers immediately claim unemployment benefits, instead of after seven weeks. This would make taxpayers subsidize union strikes, instead of the unions themselves which would otherwise dish out strike pay.
According to Empire Center, “Other labor-friendly state governments—including California, Illinois, Washington, Ohio, Hawaii and Pennsylvania—all prohibit strikers from collecting any UI benefits.”
With government like this, it’s no wonder New York has lost not just taxpayers, but overall population in two of the past four years.
This session, the state legislature has already passed new tax and fee hikes, including a devastating new tax on pain medicine, and a tax on driving to work in the city. They’ve also senselessly banned shopping bags. Now, before the clock runs out, they’ll push for more damaging policies.
New York is in already in decline, and these damaging policies would make sure the Empire State falls for good.
Photo Credit: FEE.org
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IA-04 Candidate Jeremy Taylor Signs Taxpayer Protection Pledge
Americans for Tax Reform congratulates Mr. Jeremy Taylor for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. By signing the Pledge, he has made a written commitment to oppose all tax increases and help Iowans’ keep more of their hard-earned money. Taylor is running in a contested Republican primary for Iowa’s 4th congressional district seat.
“I want to congratulate Jeremy Taylor for signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, and in doing so, affirming his commitment to protect taxpayers in Iowa’s 4th congressional district,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR.
Candidates running for office often say they will not raise taxes, but tend to turn their backs on the taxpayer once elected. As Pledge signers, candidates and incumbents make a written commitment to oppose any and all tax increases.
“By signing the Pledge, Jeremy demonstrates that he will fight for all Iowans in Congress by working to keep their taxes low and grow the U.S. economy at historic rates. I challenge all candidates running in Iowa’s 4th District to make this important commitment to taxpayers by signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge today,” continued Norquist.
The Pledge is offered to every candidate for state and federal office and to all incumbents. Nearly 1,400 elected officials, from state representatives to governors and US Senators, have signed the Pledge.
Taylor is currently a country supervisor in Woodbury County, Iowa’s fifth largest county. Taylor previously served in the Iowa House of Representatives, where he advocated against bloated government spending and for balanced budgets. A specialist in the energy industry, Taylor dedicated himself to finding operational inefficiencies in energy usage by the Sioux City School District.
ATR will continue to follow this race closely and will provide additional updates as more candidates sign the Pledge.
Photo Credit: Facebook: Jeremy Taylor for Congress
Traverse City's "Free" Public WiFi A Let Down
Surprise, surprise. Traverse City, Michigan’s “free” public WiFi has turned out to be a complete flop.
“The feedback I’ve had is it’s not working as well as it should,” said Jean Derenzy,
CEO of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), at the entity’s April board meeting.
Traverse City’s “free” WiFi – which is intended to only work outside in the downtown area – was started through a partnership between Traverse City Light & Power (TCL&P) and the DDA back in 2014. TCL&P fronted $790,000 to build out the network and the DDA promised to pay the utility back in installments of $65,000 a year through 2024.
A May 2 article in The Ticker explains, based on DDA data, that around 1,000 uses logged on to the network in a one week period. According to the Traverse City website, its official population is14,572 and its daytime population is more than double that amount.
Adding insult to injury, instead of just cutting losses (which will continue to escalate), officials are wasting more time and resources on “improvements.” While the exact plan for the next phase of the “free” WiFi is TBD, they are considering expanding signal locals and bandwith, expanding the WiFi to be citywide, and using the WiFi for a security camera network.
Meanwhile, TCL&P is moving forward with an ill-advised broadband network. Much like Traverse City's “free” WiFi, government-owned networks (GONs) have a track record of disappointment and failure.
Grover Norquist, president and founder of Americans for Tax Reform, sent members of the TCL&P board a letter last month, urging them to call off the GON before it soaks up more public resources. The full text of the letter is below:
April 1, 2019
To: Members of the Traverse City Light & Power Board
From: Americans for Tax Reform
Re: Don’t be fooled by GON proponents
Dear Board Member,
On behalf of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and supporters across Traverse City, I write to urge you not to be fooled by proponents of the Government-Owned Network (GON) plan pending before you. As has been demonstrated by the GON disasters throughout the country, where GONs have either failed outright or are being propped up by taxpayers, government entities are not capable of successfully playing in the broadband space.
Even in its early phases, Traverse City Light & Power’s GON experiment seems on track to end in tragedy. Its partner, Fujitsu, which was selected to create a “business, design and operational plan,” has a less than stellar track record when it comes to GONs. Just take a look at KentuckyWired, for example.
Kentucky officials selected to work with Fujitsu for its statewide GON, KentuckyWired, which was sold to taxpayers as a $350 million project that would be complete by the spring of 2016. Now, around three years past its intended date of completion, less than a third of the network has been installed, none of it is usable, and a recent report from the state auditor concludes that taxpayers will end up wasting around $1.5 billion on this redundant network over its 30-year life.
In addition, city officials should also note that proponents of Traverse City Light & Power’s GON plan cannot help but see the outcome through rose-colored glasses. It is in the best interest of Fujitsu – which has been chosen to determine the extent to which there is a business case for the network – if the city moves forward with a plan, as it would also be the equipment provider and eventual operator.
Fujitsu aside, a GON in Traverse City would be a huge mistake. As has been demonstrated by dozens of GON failures throughout the country, the construction and maintenance of broadband networks are not functions that government entities are well suited to take on, as they require ongoing and expensive maintenance and upgrades in order to function properly. Too late in the game, government officials realize the costs for such undertakings were grossly underestimated, and that they lack the necessary financial resources and expertise to remain up-to-date in such a rapidly changing industry.
Along with underestimated costs, demand for GONs is often significantly overestimated. Despite having access to a GON, consumers often choose to remain with their trusted private sector providers. Underestimated costs and overestimated demand is a recipe for a financial gap that the city’s taxpayers and utility ratepayers will be forced to fill.
Rather than moving forward with this GON project, Traverse City officials should follow the lead of those in Solon, Ohio, who recently rejected a proposal that would have given Fujitsu $45,000 for a feasibility study for a potential GON. ATR opposes Traverse City Light & Power’s GON plan and urges officials to pull the plug before its too late, and city’s taxpayers and utility ratepayers are left on the hook with nothing to show for it.
Sincerely,
Grover Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform
Photo Credit: flickr Marco Verch
Return-Free Tax Filing Would Be a Disaster
Tax season is inherently stressful for Americans across the country because of the extensive complexity and compliance requirements of the tax code.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I — Vt.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D — Mass.), and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D — N.Y.) want to solve this problem by giving the IRS the power to file your taxes for you. This massive expansion of government would be a disaster if implemented in the U.S as noted in a new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Return-free tax filing would require a dramatic overhaul of the tax code that could increase taxes on middle and low-income families all across the U.S.
Under this system, the IRS would also have a perverse incentive to overcharge taxpayers and withhold information as the agency would calculate how much you owe in taxes, and then give you the opportunity to contest.
As noted by the BPC report, countries that use return-free filing have tax codes vastly different than the U.S. For instance, these countries:
- Apply something close to a flat marginal tax rate on most taxpayers
- Tax individuals as opposed to households or couples
- Little to no taxes on capital gains
- Few deductions, exemptions, and exclusions
In order to make return-free filing work in the U.S., Congress would have to repeal widely-used deductions and credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC).
Both provisions are inherently complex and taxpayers would be required to provide detailed information to the IRS in order for them to properly administer the provisions.
Return-free filing has been tried in California, and it was an abject failure. Only 3 percent of taxpayers used the system, and its total participants topped out at 90,000 filers. Giving the government the power to file taxes is also broadly unpopular with taxpayers.
Return-free filing is also wildly unpopular. A recent poll shows that:
- 60 percent of taxpayers oppose letting the government file their taxes
- 72 percent of taxpayers thought the IRS would make mistakes when calculating tax returns.
- 82 percent of taxpayers said they would feel comfortable rejecting the IRS-prepared return and preparing their own return.
- 64 percent of taxpayers believed that the IRS did not have the necessary personal and financial information to calculate an accurate return.
- 68 percent of taxpayers said that they would not trust the government to produce “accurate and fair” tax returns.
Despite what Democrats are saying, giving the government the power to file your taxes would raise taxes on the middle class, has failed spectacularly in California, and is broadly unpopular. Congress should reject any attempt to move towards a return-free filing system.
Photo Credit: GotCredit
“Mayor Pete” Calls for Steep Tax Hike on Homes and Businesses
Call him “Tax Hike Pete.”
2020 Democratic Presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has paired up with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to impose a tax increase that will hit residents of all income levels.
Buttigieg today joined Garcetti at a rally hosted by SEIU union bosses to endorse a “parcel tax hike” on homes and businesses, known as Measure EE. Paying the rent will become more difficult for residents, and the cost of living will rise.
This new tax burden on residents would come in the form of a 16 cent/square foot tax on every parcel of taxable property within the L.A. Unified School District. The tax would not only be applied to living spaces and businesses, but could also end up hitting home garages.
Kowtowing to the union bosses, Buttigieg called the measure "absolutely vital," as locals took to Twitter to express their opposition.
“It will make my increased property taxes very difficult for me to pay. I’m struggling. Just because I own a home it doesn’t mean I have deep pockets, it’s the exact opposite and this could break me,” said resident Maria Fischer, on Twitter.
“Angelenos already pay some of the highest taxes in the country. How about the monies that have already been earmarked for schools and road repair and the homeless start actually going to those things,” said resident Dawn Rice.
As noted by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the tax would hit residents hard:
The tax would add hundreds of dollars to tax bills and rents and would do so in a convoluted manner. Rather than a flat tax on every parcel — which would be bad enough — the proposed tax increase would be 16 cents per square foot of building improvements on properties within the district.
That’s $160 for every 1,000 square feet. Property owners (and tenants) should be sitting down when they do the math on this one.
Seniors are ostensibly exempt from the tax, but not from rent increases. Properties used as the principal residence of owners who are age 65 or older, or on disability, are eligible for an exemption, but there’s no exemption from the higher rents or higher prices that result from the tax hike. Also, seniors should be very cautious about the so-called “exemption,” as in many instances it’s necessary to re-apply for them every year.
Buttigieg, who fashions himself an everyman, has let the American people know that if elected, he will put tax hikes and union bosses first.
Politico recently reported that Buttigieg has “newfound popularity among Hollywood and Silicon Valley donors.”
Newsflash, Mayor Pete. Americans won’t take kindly to your rallies with left wing Los Angeles union bosses and your lucrative fundraisers with elitist Hollywood friends, especially when it involves higher taxes.
Photo Credit: flickr Lorie Shaull
17 Arkansas Republicans Violate “No Tax Pledge” with Vote for Gas Taxes
Last week, state lawmakers in Arkansas passed a gas tax out of their chambers, the likes of which has not been seen since 1999.
Thanks to 17 state legislators, Arkansas now has the highest gas tax in the region. Senate Bill 336 - now Act 416 - will go into effect on October 1st increasing the excise tax on gasoline by 3 cents, raising the overall tax to 24.5 cents/gallon. It will also raise the excise tax on diesel fuel by 6 cents, making that overall tax 28.5 cents/gallon.
The hardworking people of Arkansas have the following flip-flopping “yes” men (and women) to thank for making them fork over more cash at the pump:
- Sen. Jane English
- Sen. Scott Flippo
- Sen. Missy Irvin
- Sen. Blake Johnson
- Sen. Jason Rapert
- Sen. Terry Rice
- Sen. Gary Stubblefield
- Rep. Harlan Breaux
- Rep. Mary Bentley
- Rep. Charlene Fite
- Rep. Mike Holcomb
- Rep. Lane Jean
- Rep. Reginald Murdock
- Rep. Laurie Rushing
- Rep. John Rye
- Rep. Brandt Smith
- Rep. Danny Watson
View the graphic included at the top of this page to see how all of our pledge signers in the Arkansas Legislature voted on the measure.
According to the Arkansas Democrat - Gazette, some lawmakers were unsure if their vote violated our Pledge. Let us be clear, tax increases hurt taxpayers as much as any new tax does. Prior to the vote, we sent a letter to all of our Arkansas pledge signers encouraging them to vote no on SB 336. Those who supported SB 336 knowingly joined our list of pledge violators.
As disappointed as we are with those who have betrayed their pledge to the Arkansans who support our mission, we also applaud the work of other members of the Arkansas legislature such as Senate Republican leader Bart Hester of Cave Spring who did not vote for either tax increase presented to the legislature this cycle. Les Eaves, Josh Miller, Clint Penzo, and Rebecca Petty also kept their promises and protected Arkansas’ taxpayers.
New Leadership, New Wins for Taxpayers in Florida's 2019 Legislative Session
Under the leadership of new Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida’s 2019 legislative session resulted in some key wins, as the Sunshine State continued to keep pace as one of the most taxpayer-friendly states in the nation.
The headline-grabbing victory is passage of a criminal justice reform package, the first major reforms passed in Florida in decades.
The Florida First Step Act introduced by Senator Jeffrey Brandes in January capitalized on the momentum of the federal FIRST STEP Act, signed late last year by President Trump. The bill was built around incentivizing people in the prison system to train and prepare to reenter society as productive citizens. The vast majority of people in prison will be released one day, ensuring they can contribute and thrive afterwards improves public safety.
The initial package included sentencing reforms, allowing judges to deviate from mandatory minimum sentences that often put away people for inordinate periods of time for nonviolent, drug-related crimes.
In the end, these reforms were lost in the House. Still, the legislation was the broadest reform package passed in 20 years. In addition to reentry programs, it reduces barriers to occupational licenses, and limits driver’s license suspensions.
This is a very promising sign the dam has finally broken on criminal justice reform in Florida, and more progress can be made next session.
There is plenty more for taxpayers to be happy about.
A measure requiring a two-thirds majority popular vote for local governments to increase sales taxes via ballot referenda passed. The legislation, HB 5, also requires the vote to be held on a general election day, not a primary day. This is a big win for local taxpayers, ensuring their voice is heard when their tax dollars on the line, and potentially avoiding many tax increases across Florida communities in the future.
Also with an eye on local governments: the legislature passed a bill to protect consumers against localities attacking plastic straws, HB 771. Plastic straw bans have become popular, despite little evidence they help the environment, and plenty of evidence they hurt area jobs and businesses.
Get ready to freely ride your electric scooters following passage of HB 453. Florida will now put into place sensible statewide rules to define and regulate scooters, which should avoid a patchwork of damaging local government regulation.
On the health care front, Floridians will get more options and innovation. Thanks to HB 21, which repealed the state’s certificate of need requirement, hospitals will no longer need a government permission slip to build or expand.
House Speaker Jose Oliva, who championed the bill, said, “we must get rid of policies like certificate of need, which have only served to create local and regional monopolies."
Federal tax reform has been a big win across the country, putting money back in Americans’ pockets, driving new job creation, and sparking rising wages. Still, some provisions of federal reform don’t translate to states, and can create new unintended burdens if states conform their codes to the federal tax code. The Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income piece of federal reform is one such measure. Florida legislators smartly acted to avoid charging businesses this federally-focused tax at the state level with HB 7127.
Often defeating bad ideas is the most important thing lawmakers can do to protect taxpayers. Renewable energy mandates cost everyone more money through higher energy costs and subsidies for favored energy sources. Still, these misguided measures have been spreading across the nation. Florida lawmakers however smacked down bills to impose these mandates in Florida, defeating HB 1291/SB 1762.
Governor DeSantis deserves credit for spearheading a major occupational licensing reform effort as part of his “Deregathon.” This plan would have addressed on the few areas of free market policy where Florida has not been a leader. Unfortunately, the legislation (SB 1640) did not pass before the clock ran out, but the Governor’s efforts should earn more support next time.
The session certainly was not perfect, with the notably disappointing passage of legislation that would open the door to imported Canadian medicine – and price controls with it. Still there are many more positives to point to.
Governor DeSantis and Florida Senators and Representatives deserve credit for their successes this session – and an openness to pursue new reforms. The Sunshine State has new leadership that is keeping it around the head of the class among the states.
Photo Credit: StevenM_61
More from Americans for Tax Reform
Getting the National Spectrum Strategy Right
It is without a doubt that the deployment of 5G will have a major impact on the country.
Not only is 5G faster (potentially even 100 times faster) than traditional 4G service, it will also bolster the United States’ global competitiveness and improve the standard of living. Almost all aspects of Americans’ lives—from medicine to transportation to manufacturing—will be impacted by the deployment of 5G.
The United States is a global leader in 5G. According to a recent CTIA report, the nation is tied for first with China in terms of 5G readiness, moving up two spots from last year’s ranking. America also leads the world with the most commercial 5G deployments of any nation; by the end of the year it will have 92 deployments, while South Korea (another major player in the race for 5G) will only have 48.
While the United States assigns the most low- and high-band spectrum for wireless, there is room for major improvement regarding mid-band spectrum assignment. For example, America currently has no mid-band spectrum available, while South Korea and China have 280 and 300 megahertz available, respectively.
In October 2018, President Trump signed a memo directing the development of a national spectrum strategy. Recognizing that 5G is crucial for the nation’s future success and feeling threatened by other countries (namely, China), some have pushed that the strategy follow a wholesale—essentially nationalized—approach to 5G. This is not the route America should take.
It is crucial that the United States adopt a strategy centered on free market principles—the same values that made the 4G rollout so successful. These free-market policies, such as exclusive use licenses and flexible use rights, will keep America the global leader in spectrum.
National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow spoke on this issue at CTIA’s 5G Summit in April, affirming that the private sector is ahead of government and always will be. Competition is the way to get to 5G, and China is not beating the United States. In his view, any assertion otherwise is "nonsense."
The national spectrum strategy should maintain the United States’ position as a leader in spectrum while sparking innovation and economic growth. As such, this strategy should prioritize more auctions of low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum, which will boost businesses’—and subsequently consumers’—wireless access. It should also focus on ensuring that equipment can operate in multiple countries and the necessary infrastructure can be built. In addition, the government should modernize and streamline its policies and procedures to enable further growth and development.
Fortunately, the federal government has been making great strides towards 5G. The FCC has released its 5G FAST Plan, which strives to encourage private sector investment, update its policies, and make spectrum more widely available. In fact, the FCC has announced its largest spectrum auction ever will occur later this year. The Trump Administration has also prioritized 5G by encouraging private investment through its tax cuts and deregulation, in addition to releasing an official presidential memorandum.
Overall, 5G is the way of the future, and it’s imperative that the federal government create the best strategy to remain dominant during this digital revolution.
Photo Credit: Christiaan Colen
Which NC-09 Candidates Are Leaving the Door Open to Higher Taxes?
As the NC-09 special election primary approaches, voters deserve to know where all 13 candidates stand on vital pocketbook issues such as taxes and jobs. Candidates often campaign in opposition to higher taxes, but disregard campaign promises once they take office.
Fortunately for North Carolina voters, the following candidates have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge:
These candidates join Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Richard Burr, and all Republican members of the North Carolina congressional delegation in making this commitment to Tar Heel State taxpayers.
Sadly, several candidates for the Republican nomination have not made this solemn promise yet. Americans for Tax Reform strongly encourages Leigh Brown, Kathie Day, Gary Dunn, Albert Wiley Jr., and Chris Anglin to show their support for taxpayers and put their commitment in writing.
Democrat presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have already campaigned on repealing the Trump tax cuts, which would be a significant tax hike on middle-class Americans. The Taxpayer Protection Pledge ensures that candidates stay true to their word by putting their anti-tax rhetoric in writing.
More from Americans for Tax Reform
Kamala Harris Vows Repeal of Tax Cuts “on Day One”
Harris joins Biden in calling for full repeal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris said she would repeal the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “on day one.”
Harris said: “On day one, we gonna repeal that tax bill that benefited the top one percent and the biggest corporations in this country.” [Click here for video]
"Get rid of the whole thing," Harris said.
Harris made the tax vow on Sunday May 5 during an NAACP fundraiser in Detroit.
A promise to repeal the tax cuts is a promise to raise taxes. If the tax cuts were repealed:
- A family of four earning the median income of $73,000 would see a $2,000 tax increase.
- A single parent (with one child) making $41,000 would see a $1,300 tax increase.
- Millions of low and middle income households would be stuck paying the Obamacare individual mandate tax.
- Utility bills would go up in all 50 states as a direct result of the corporate income tax increase.
- Small employers will face a tax increase due to the repeal of the 20% deduction for small business income.
- The USA would have the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world.
- Taxes would rise in every state and every congressional district.
As noted by the New York Times: “Most people got a tax cut.” The NYT also stated: “To a large degree, the gap between perception and reality on the tax cuts appears to flow from a sustained — and misleading — effort by liberal opponents of the law to brand it as a broad middle-class tax increase.”
The Washington Post also stated: “Most Americans received a tax cut.”
More evidence of the benefits flowing from the tax cuts can be found in a recent H&R Block report, which stated, “overall tax liability is down 24.9 percent on average.”
In Harris’s home state of California, the report found that residents received a 27.1% reduction in their taxes, on average. In the state where Harris made the tax hike threat – Michigan – residents received a 24.7% tax cut on average.
Harris joins fellow Democrat Joe Biden in calling for a full repeal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This past weekend, Biden, affecting a southern accent while speaking in South Carolina, said, “First thing I’d do is repeal those Trump tax cuts.”
See also: Biden: “First thing I’d do is repeal those Trump tax cuts.”
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