BREAKING: Trump wants taxes cut for the 1%, tax increase for the working poor 

American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following statement after news broke that Donald Trump and congressional Republicans plan to combine new tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans with a tax increase on the middle class and the working poor.

​”​Behind closed doors, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are planning to further rig the U.S. economy for the rich at the expense of the the middle class and those fighting to enter it.  Just like on healthcare, Donald Trump is showing his true colors by breaking his promises and selling-out the American people with a stagger​ing​ new tax increase on the working poor.”

Axios: Republicans agree to raise bottom tax rate, double standard deduction

Jonathan Swan

Top White House and GOP leaders have agreed to raise the lowest individual tax rate from 10 to 12 percent, paired with doubling the standard deduction, 5 senior Republicans tell us.

Why this […]

Read more after the jump.

Violating pledge, Donald Trump is trying to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans at the expense of everyone else

American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following statement after it was reported that, contradicting assurances made by Donald Trump himself and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Trump’s tax reform plan will indeed include a massive tax cut for the wealthiest Americans:

“At the same time that he’s trying to take healthcare from 32 million Americans, Donald Trump is breaking his pledge from just weeks ago and using tax reform not to pursue the creation of good-paying middle class jobs, but to give a windfall to the richest Americans. Trump is a con artist who is hell-bent on further rigging the tax code for the rich at everyone else’s expense.”

Axios: Exclusive: Trump, GOP to cut top rate to 35 percent

Jonathan Swan
President Trump and Republican leaders plan to cut the top tax rate for the wealthiest Americans to 35 percent and dramatically reduce taxes on big and small businesses, according to details […]

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Mnuchin just exposed Trump’s false promise not to cut taxes for the wealthy 

When meeting with the leadership of both parties in Congress regarding tax reform yesterday, Donald Trump assured the American people that his tax reform legislation would not cut taxes for the wealthy, and would instead prioritize the American middle class.

Donald Trump, 9/13/2017: “And, by the way, lower for individuals — much lower than that for individuals.  And the rich will not be gaining at all with this plan.  We’re looking for the middle class, and we’re looking for jobs.”

Fast forward 24 hours though and Trump’s Treasury Secretary is singing a different tune. Just now, when asked about Trump’s claim that tax reform would not benefit the rich, Secretary  Mnuchin flatly contradicted it by revealing that the legislation would still repeal the estate tax – which is only paid by the wealthiest 0.2 percent of all estates.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, 9/14/2017: “And even if we do […]

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What they’re saying: Trump’s tax plan would fail the American middle class

After Donald Trump tried to market his tax plan blueprint in Missouri with empty rhetoric, reviews from experts found that, as has been the case with Trump’s entire economic agenda, it  would hammer struggling Americans.

Trump’s tax proposal would instead further rig the U.S. economy for the wealthiest Americans – including Trump himself – with disproportionate and wasteful new tax giveaways, while failing to deliver the growth and opportunity that Trump promised the American middle class.

Here’s what they’re saying:

PUTTING TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY AHEAD OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

Washington Post: “Trump speech will bash rigged system. But tax outline would benefit 1 percent.” [Washington Post, 8/30/2017]

Bloomberg: “Tax policy experts have said the dozen bullet points the White House released in April outlining its principles would undoubtedly mean lower taxes for top earners, while the impact on middle incomes was less clear.” [Bloomberg, 8/30/2017]

Quartz: “Most of Trump’s […]

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Trump tax proposal cements him as the Bernie Madoff of American politics

Just like on healthcare and jobs, Trump’s tax “plan” proves he is only out for himself – and that he’s lying about it

Totally contradicting the economic pledges that Donald Trump made to the American people last year, Trump is at it again today, this time selling a sham tax proposal that is nothing more than a windfall for himself and the rich. This follows a pattern for Trump; to date, each of his major initiatives have been rooted in an agenda will only further rig the American economy for rich Americans at everyone else’s expense – including the “forgotten men and women” he spoke of in his inaugural address.

It’s no surprise that Trump is disingenuously claiming his tax plan will have populist outcomes when it in fact won’t. Trump lies about everything and today is no different. His empty rhetoric, however, has already been discredited even before his speech begins, […]

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Donald Trump owes the American people the truth about tax reform

American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following statement after details of conversations about tax reform between the Trump Administration and congressional Republican leadership were reported:

“After exploiting the presidency to personally profit and fighting for a plan that would have cost millions their healthcare – but cut his own taxes – Donald Trump needs to level with the public before Congress considers any tax reform plan: how much will he himself benefit?”

Politico: Trump’s team and lawmakers making strides on tax reform plan
The so-called Big 6 have found common ground on the best ways to pay for individual and corporate tax cuts.
By NANCY COOK 08/22/2017 05:22 AM EDT

President Donald Trump’s top aides and congressional leaders have made significant strides in shaping a tax overhaul, moving far beyond the six-paragraph framework pushed out in July that stoked fears about their ability to deliver on one of the GOP’s top […]

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Trump Admin Teams Up With Kochs To Sell Tax Cuts For Billionaires

Trump Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin today announced that he plans to campaign with Koch brothers front groups Freedom Partners and Americans for Prosperity to push for the Trump’s upcoming tax “reform” bill that’ll mean massive tax cuts for billionaires like Trump, the Kochs, and Trump’s biggest megadonors, including the Mercer and Adelson families.

WATCH:

Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips: Are you guys really ready to fight for this? […] We want to make sure that you guys are ready to join us on this…

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin: We are so ready. We’ve been ready since January 1.

“Of course the Trump Administration is teaming up with the Koch brothers to sell disproportionate tax cuts for billionaires as a win for working people,” said American Bridge VP Shripal Shah. “Like every other aspect of the Trump presidency, this tax plan is a huge scam. Trump and Republican donors will get […]

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Boehner and his merry band of well poisoners

Yesterday, President Obama announced his plan to take action to address immigration reform. Today, House Speaker John Boehner will use his 9 a.m. address to try to explain away the Republican Party’s obstructionist plan to fight the President’s effort.

Yesterday, American Bridge sent you a list of the many other times Republicans have claimed the President “poisoned the well” on an issue. Today, we’re showing you those Republican claims – in their own words.

Read more after the jump.

Rubio Left Thirsting For New Ideas On Poverty

Following a disastrous 2012 election cycle in which Mitt Romney infamously described 47 percent of voters as “dependent upon the government,” Republican leaders set out to make their party more appealing – or at least less insulting – to middle-class and working Americans.

Just weeks after the election, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) gave a speech on “middle-class opportunity” that was hailed as a sign of shifting conservative priorities and a more compassionate Republican Party. However, Rubio’s message did not translate into action, as he and his party spent the next year opposing middle-class tax cuts, pushing massive cuts to the safety net, and even shutting down the government in a futile attempt to undermine access to affordable health insurance.

Meanwhile, Rubio endorsed comprehensive immigration reform but failed to sell conservatives on a bipartisan bill and, after damaging his standing on the right, eventually dialed back his support. That failed leadership led one major Florida newspaper to dub Rubio the “political loser” of 2013, so it’s no surprise to see the senator delivering yet another highly publicized speech to give his image a boost.

It is almost unfathomable that Rubio is giving a speech on poverty just a day after voting against unemployment benefits. But his refusal to help the unemployed is actually emblematic of conservatives’ empty rhetoric on poverty. Until Rubio and the Republicans come up with any actual ideas beyond their endless calls for more tax cuts and repealing Obamacare, the real war on poverty in America remains their endless attacks on the middle and working class.

Read more after the jump.

GOP Budget Blues: How Conservative Policies Increase Inequality

As congressional leaders from both parties negotiate over the federal budget, it is important to remember that many Republicans are similarly unsympathetic to the idea that addressing inequality should be a priority. Echoing Mitt Romney’s infamous “47 percent” remarks, congressional conservatives routinely blame the safety net for making people “dependent” on government, implying that low-income Americans remain at the bottom of the economic ladder by choice. For instance, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the leading Republican voice on budget issues, has complained that “we’re going to a majority of takers versus makers in America.”

That attitude has been on display throughout the recovery from the massive recession that President Bush left behind, even as the wealthiest Americans recovered their losses and the income gap widened. In each of the past three years, Ryan has authored – and House Republicans have approved – extreme budget plans that shred the safety net while providing tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations. Republicans have repeatedly sabotaged bipartisan budget talks by demanding that working Americans shoulder the burden of deficit reduction while dismissing any proposal that requires the rich to pay their fair share. And, despite shamelessly citing the job losses that Obama inherited as evidence of his supposed failure, Republicans have been consistent in obstructing efforts to actually help the unemployed.

Read more after the jump.