If you thought the health care debate divided Republicans and conservatives, just wait until the Trump Administration goes after tax reform.
Long before the GOP’s failure to repeal Obamacare officially materialized, outside conservative groups and think tanks have been already drawing lines in the sand over the specifics of the up-and-coming Trumpian tax reform.
Like health care, Donald Trump made many lofty promises about tax reform on the campaign trail. And republicans are quickly realizing that trying to honor every one of Trump’s campaign promises quickly becomes a futile endeavor.
But in order to get close enough to Trump’s view of tax reform without completely blowing the deficit into oblivion, Congressional leadership is mulling over instituting a border adjustment tax – or BAT Tax. And Libertarian-minded Republicans like the Koch brothers are not on board.
The ad opens with a man standing in a dark auditorium. Red, white and blue confetti and balloons are strewn across the ground, as we see the outline of a janitor in the background pushing a broom across the floor.
We see a man silhouetted against the backdrop of a dimly lit American flag – and although we can’t see his face, we can clearly make out the red “Make America Great Again” hat on his head.
“America voted for change, economic growth and to stop wasteful spending,” a narrator says. “But now some members of Congress want a new trillion-dollar BAT consumer tax that could drive up your costs and hurt our economy.”
“This new consumer tax increase, as big as Obamacare,” the narrator adds. “Tell Congress that’s not the change we’re looking for.”
Meanwhile, Ryan with the backing of the House Ways and Means Committee, is the leading voice in favor of a border adjustment tax, arguing that it would create $1 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years – which would be sorely needed if Trump’s vision of tax cuts was enacted.
Meanwhile, the day after Ryan huddled with Senate Republicans to rally support for the border adjustment tax, Tom Cotton, Senator from Wal-Mart’s home state of Arkansas, took to the floor to push back on Ryan. Cotton said the logic for supporting the BAT tax was “Orwellian,” adding the famous Orwell quote, “Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe them.”
Long before the GOP’s failure to repeal Obamacare officially materialized, outside conservative groups and think tanks have been already drawing lines in the sand over the specifics of the up-and-coming Trumpian tax reform.
Like health care, Donald Trump made many lofty promises about tax reform on the campaign trail. And republicans are quickly realizing that trying to honor every one of Trump’s campaign promises quickly becomes a futile endeavor.
But in order to get close enough to Trump’s view of tax reform without completely blowing the deficit into oblivion, Congressional leadership is mulling over instituting a border adjustment tax – or BAT Tax. And Libertarian-minded Republicans like the Koch brothers are not on board.
The Koch Brothers Try to Separate Trump From His Voters
Americans for Prosperity – one of the biggest groups in the Koch network – is trying to speak directly to Trump voters in their new ad simply titled, “Tell Congress NO to the B.A.T. Consumer Tax.”The ad opens with a man standing in a dark auditorium. Red, white and blue confetti and balloons are strewn across the ground, as we see the outline of a janitor in the background pushing a broom across the floor.
We see a man silhouetted against the backdrop of a dimly lit American flag – and although we can’t see his face, we can clearly make out the red “Make America Great Again” hat on his head.
“America voted for change, economic growth and to stop wasteful spending,” a narrator says. “But now some members of Congress want a new trillion-dollar BAT consumer tax that could drive up your costs and hurt our economy.”
“This new consumer tax increase, as big as Obamacare,” the narrator adds. “Tell Congress that’s not the change we’re looking for.”
Who Signs Your Paycheck?
The Koch brothers and like-minded conservative groups have already started launching decently-sized political ad campaigns in opposition to the BAT tax. So far the ads haven’t attacked any congressional Republicans by name, but the groups certainly seem ready to break with their usual allies – like Paul Ryan – if the BAT tax fight gets too heated.Meanwhile, Ryan with the backing of the House Ways and Means Committee, is the leading voice in favor of a border adjustment tax, arguing that it would create $1 trillion in revenue over the next 10 years – which would be sorely needed if Trump’s vision of tax cuts was enacted.
Meanwhile, the day after Ryan huddled with Senate Republicans to rally support for the border adjustment tax, Tom Cotton, Senator from Wal-Mart’s home state of Arkansas, took to the floor to push back on Ryan. Cotton said the logic for supporting the BAT tax was “Orwellian,” adding the famous Orwell quote, “Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe them.”