Editorial Roundup: Tax Cuts For The Rich Edition

This week editorial boards all across the country ripped into President Trump and the Republicans for their tax plan that will crush the middle class to pay for billions in tax breaks for the super rich and explode the deficit for generations to come. Additionally, Trump took his boldest step yet to undercut the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau, made a racist slur about a sitting US Senator, and was rebuked for re-tweeting hateful anti-Muslim propaganda videos.

Here’s what Americans read in their local newspapers this week:

 

11/25
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Estate Tax Repeal: ‘Donald Trump In A Stretch Limo, Not A Farmer On A Tractor’

Trump’s claim about “millions” of farms and family businesses is not even close to the truth. The Tax Policy Center at the Brookings Institution found only 80 of them among the 5,500 estates subject to the tax last year. Most fortunes are amassed, […]

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Brock: Now More Than Ever, It Is Imperative The Special Counsel Investigation Proceed Without Trump Interference

American Bridge Chairman David Brock issued the following statement in the wake of the latest revelations unearthed by Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump-Russia scandal:

“If history is any guide, Donald Trump will soon double down on his efforts to obstruct justice and tamper with the FBI’s investigation. It is absolutely critical that members of both parties take a strong stand and prevent that from happening. Every member of Congress needs to put country before party and stand with Robert Mueller’s investigation, and we will do our part by holding members accountable on behalf of the the rule of law and the public.”

Last month, Bridge Project launched a new grassroots online mobilization campaign to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Donald Trump’s ties to Russia in the face of partisan attacks from Trump allies who are eager to protect themselves from criminal investigation. The campaign is focused on dispelling false […]

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Remember Mike Pence’s Role In Flynn Guilty Plea

Amidst the most recent flood of indictments and guilty pleas coming out of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the American people must remember that Vice President Mike Pence is inextricably entangled in this firestorm.

Here’s how– former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is expected to plead guilty in the Mueller case for lying to the FBI about the nature of his numerous contacts with the Russian Ambassador during the Trump transition. And who was in charge of the Trump transition? Mike Pence.

As Vice President-elect, Mike Pence chaired the Trump transition. American Bridge previously uncovered a document signed by Mike Pence through a Freedom of Information Request explicitly stating he is responsible for contacts made by Trump officials, like Michael Flynn, during the transition period. 

“This morning’s revelation about Michael Flynn is just the tip of the iceberg,” said American Bridge Vice President Shripal Shah. “Michael Flynn acted outside of the law […]

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Shot/Chaser: Trump Directed Mike Flynn To Contact Russia

SHOT: February 16, 2017

White House Press Conference:  Reporter Question:  Did you direct Mike Flynn to discuss the sanctions with the Russian ambassador?

THE PRESIDENT:  No, I didn’t.  No, I didn’t.  [inaudible]

THE PRESIDENT:  Excuse me — no, I fired him because of what he said to Mike Pence, very simple.  Mike was doing his job.  He was calling countries and his counterparts.  So it certainly would have been okay with me if he did it.  I would have directed him to do it if I thought he wasn’t doing it.  I didn’t direct him but I would have directed him because that’s his job. And it came out that way — and, in all fairness, I watched Dr. Charles Krauthammer the other night say he was doing his job.  And I agreed with him.  And since then I’ve watched many other people say that. No, I didn’t direct him, but […]

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Trump: “I Want To Thank Gen. Flynn,” “Great Guy,” “I Love Gen. Flynn” & More

Ahead of the White House’s desperate but inevitable attempts to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, here is a compilation of Donald Trump heaping praise on the latest person to plead guilty as part of the Trump-Russia scandal.

As more videos are added, view the whole thread 

 

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American Bridge Statement on Former Trump NSA Flynn Pleading Guilty

American Bridge Vice President Shripal Shah released the following statement on reports former Trump Administration National Security Advisor Michael Flynn is pleading guilty to lying to the FBI this morning:

“Anyone who has been paying attention to this scandal knows full well that lying to the FBI was likely the least of Michael Flynn’s problems, and legal experts are already suggesting that this means he’s cooperating with the Special Counsel’s investigation. That’s bad news for Donald Trump, and likely explains his increasingly unhinged tweets in recent days.

“The fact remains that this investigation is still in it’s early stages. Flynn, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos are just the beginning, but ultimately everyone involved in this criminal conspiracy must be held accountable by the law. That includes the President himself, his family, and members of his inner circle who continue to lie to the public about their ties to Russian officials […]

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JCT proves Trump-Republican tax plan increases deficit by $1 trillion with tax cuts for the rich, breaking top promise

The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) just concluded that – even according to Republicans’ preferred scoring method – the Senate Republican tax plan would increase the national deficit by $1 trillion in order to cut taxes for the high income earners and corporations.  These unaffordable tax cuts would be made possible by raising taxes on millions of middle class Americans.

At the same time, the Treasury Department study of the tax proposal’s economic effects that Sec. Steve Mnuchin has promised multiple times is still nowhere to be found.

“Congress’s independent tax experts just refuted one of the top promises that Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have made to the American people, proving that their reckless tax plan would explode the deficit by $1 trillion,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates. “This trickle-down sham would sell-out the American middle class with tax increases to allow new breaks for big money donors, […]

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Sanders Questions: Musical Chairs Edition

The White House didn’t even wait for Friday to dump the news of yet another senior level shake up. This time, it’s Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who is reportedly leaving his post to make way for CIA Director Mike Pompeo. Coming one day after President Trump was condemned by British Prime Minister Theresa May for spreading anti-Muslim hate propaganda–an unprecedented move from one of our greatest allies—it is clear the Trump Administration’s foreign policy apparatus is in complete disarray and the only man to blame is Donald Trump himself.

American Bridge Rapid Response Director Emily Aden calls on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to answer the following questions:

1. Is Donald Trump bringing in Mike Pompeo to the State Department to further assure Vladimir Putin he does not condemn Russia’s attack on the 2016 election?

2. By 2027, people making $40,000 to $50,000 would pay a combined $5.3 billion more in taxes, […]

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American Bridge Statement On Tillerson And Pompeo Shake Up

American Bridge Rapid Response Director Emily Aden released the following statement in response to reports that President Trump plans to fire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and nominate CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him:

“Replacing one Putin lackey with another at the State Department should send a chill down every American’s spine regardless of their political party. Pompeo may not have been given a fancy award by Putin himself, but he still has spread fake news about the US intelligence assessment that Russia attacked the 2016 election, undermined new US sanctions on Russia passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and even met with a conspiracy theorist peddling the insane lie that the DNC actually hacked itself. This administration puts Russian interests ahead of everything else, and that sadly won’t change regardless of who is in charge at the State Department.”

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FACT CHECK: Trump’s Tax Plan Actually Encourages Outsourcing

In St. Charles, Missouri, Donald Trump just blatantly lied when he said the Senate tax bill is “anti-offshoring and 100 percent worker.”  This is far from the truth – these plans charge lower tax rates on foreign profits than domestic profits, which encourages outsourcing.

Numerous economic experts, including a former White House economic adviser to President George H.W. Bush, two former National Economic Council directors, and multiple think tanks have sounded the alarm that these tax policy changes would cause more outsourcing of American jobs. The AFL-CIO ​and the United Steelworkers have also identified this threat of more offshoring as their main reason for opposing the Republican tax plans.

“Donald Trump’s entire case for his tax plan is built on lies, and the American people aren’t going to be fooled,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates. “The Senate Republican bill sells-out the American middle class and working families with job-killing incentives for companies to move operations overseas, breaking Trump’s number […]

Read more after the jump.