Trump dodges tax bid details
ToutsmysteryplaninMo.,targetsDemsenator
PRESIDENT TRUMP went to Missouri on Wednesday to push for support spoke for his muchhyped plan to overhaul America’s tax code — but unveiled few specifics about what it is he’s actually pushing.
Nevertheless, Trump warned Congress to sign off on the amorphous reform — and told his audience in the Show-Me State they should show their Democratic senator the door if she doesn’t go along with the proposal.
Trump pitched the plan as a populist reform for struggling Americans, claiming that billionaires such as himself will take a hit while lower-wage citizens prosper.
“We believe that ordinary Americans know better than Washington how to spend their own money,” Trump said in an address in Springfield, Mo.
“We want to help them take home as much of their money as possible and then spend it.”
But he also made clear, as he had done with health care reform, that he planned to leave much of the actual planning to Congress.
“I don’t want to be disappointed by Congress, do you understand me?” Trump bellowed to the Springfield crowd. “I think Congress is going to make a comeback. I hope so. The United States is counting on it.”
He urged the audience to dump Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, if tax reform fails.
“She must do this for you, and if she doesn’t do it for you, you have to vote her out of office,” Trump said to applause.
He did let loose a few particulars, which seemed to clash with his claims the reforms would benefit the average American.
Trump said he would push for reducing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%, which he said would spur economic development. The Trump Organization, which is run by his family, would stand to greatly benefit from that change.
Trump also mentioned deep tax cuts for businesses and investors, as well as cuts for the middle class, but he threw out no numbers.
The speech did little to expand upon the White House’s one-page summary of its tax plan from April, which called for reducing the number of brackets from seven to three.
Even though Trump has touted tax reform for months, his administration has yet to produce a more detailed plan or a draft of legislation.
Tax analysts said Trump’s initial proposal would reap the most benefits for corporations and wealthy Americans, while barely giving a boost to middleand lower-class citizens.
Trump has been pushing for Congress to take swift action on tax reform when it returns to session in September. But there is little chance of that happening.
Congress will have to spend the month focusing on time-sensitive spending and debt bills, leaving little time for the prolonged process of debating the tax system. tax