Trump aims to achieve congressional balancing act

President Donald Trump says he wants to lure Democratic lawmakers to sign on to a Republican-crafted tax overhaul plan, but negotiators must deal with the reality that any handouts to Democrats could turn into turnoffs for the GOP.

The White House and tax-writing Republican leaders are expected to begin filling in some of the details this week on Trump’s plan to simplify the tax system, a legislative priority for the president. The White House views this as a once-in-alifetime opportunity to simplify taxes and cut rates, while giving Trump a victory as the Republicans struggle to overturn the Obama health care law.

The specifics are taking shape. Trump’s efforts to draw in a few Democrats could mean “you’re going to lose a few Republicans,” said Mark Weinberger, CEO of the accounting firm EY. But he added: “He wants to get 51 votes period in the Senate … so it is possible you might lose a few Republicans and pick up a few Democrats who are in states that Trump won.”

While the plan is not finalized, Trump is already planning to promote it heavily. He will travel to Indiana on Wednesday, and aides are discussing a televised speech.

People familiar with the plan being written entirely by Republicans said the administration is considering lowering the corporate tax rate from its current 35 percent to somewhere in the low 20s.