Politicians & Pundits: Joni Ernst

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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REPORT The Importance of Buying Ernst: Why The Kochs Go Wilde Lobbying the Hawkeye State

Bridge Project is continuing the “Month’s Supply of Koch” with the release of the latest report: “The Importance of Buying Ernst: Why the Kochs Go Wilde Lobbying in the Hawkeye State.” It’s a comprehensive look at the impact of the Kochs’ operations in Iowa. In their quest to grow their empire, the early primary state has been a central focus for the brothers’ political maneuvering.
 
The Koch brothers’ priorities couldn’t be more out-of-step with Hawkeye State values. Perhaps the best example of the Kochs’ self-interest is their opposition to the renewable fuel standard and biodiesel fuel standards – a boon to Iowa’s economy – to protect their own oil profits. In fact, since 2006, Koch companies have lobbied on at least 37 bills in Iowa related to ethanol, biodiesel, and other renewable fuels — despite overwhelming support of biodiesel by Iowans. The Kochs aren’t just hitting Iowa’s farmers on renewables; Americans for Prosperity even lobbied against the Farm Bill in 2014. 
 
Just about every issue lobbied on by the Kochs lines their pockets while hurting Iowans. For example, the Kochs, who are major formaldehyde producers, lobbied against the classification of formaldehyde as a carcinogen, and in Iowa, lobbied on a bill that would ban formaldehyde in children’s toys. The Kochs fought a bill giving workers injured on the job access to better care by allowing them to see their own doctors. They also lobbied against a bill that permitted Iowans to file consumer fraud lawsuits against dishonest businesses.

Read more after the jump.