Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle put on a clinic on how to handle those who the Conservative Right Wing machine send out to lie on our airwaves about the president’s tax cut which pilfers the middle-class.
Republican Representative Morgan Griffith attempted to snow Velshi & Ruhle who summarily destroyed his lying tax cut arguments one after the other. The exchange was riveting. It is the questioning more journalists must do in these times of spinning and fake news.
Velshi & Ruhle grills Rep on tax cut lies
MSNBC Hosts Ali Velshi & Stephanie Ruhle grills GOP Rep president's tax cut lies (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/s4fOK06ns6
— Egberto Willies, Politics Done Right host 🇺🇲🇵🇦 (@EgbertoWillies) September 29, 2017
“The president has said over and over that this plan is not going to help him,” Stephanie Ruhle said. “He said, this is not gonna help me. Believe me. But by our calculations it 100% helps the president and his family.”
“Well all I can tell you is this is going to help all Americans,” Republican Representative Morgan Griffith replied.
“Sir that is not what I am asking you,” Ruhle interrupted.
“It’s gonna help the rich,” Ali Velshi added.
“Does this help the rich,” Ruhle continued. “And if so, why is our president lying about that?”
“Well I can’t speak for the president on what his finances are and whether or not it would help him,” the Congressman said. “I know that it helps all Americans and that we’re focused on the middle-class.
“This plan doesn’t have a tax cut for the middle class,” Ruhle pointed out. “This plan has a tax cut, it has a clear tax cut for the absolute richest. And it also gets rid of the estate tax, and for pass-throughs, it lowers the tax.”
“And it gets rid of the AMT,” Velshi added.
“And 90% of those who hold LLC’s and pass-throughs are in the top 1%,” Ruhle said. “So I haven’t heard any talk of the middle class.”
“Well what we’re doing is we’re making it simpler that helps the middle-class,” the Congressman said.
“But sir it doesn’t, replied an exasperated Ali Velshi from listening to the false spin. “Sir, with all due respect that just doesn’t make sense. Simpler doesn’t make anybody get any more prosperous. That’s just a misnomer, right? It’s nice that it’s three tax brackets but doesn’t actually help anybody. It doesn’t make anybody more prosperous.”
“This plan will do that by lowering the rates for everybody,” the Congressman said. “And those that it doesn’t lower the rates at the high end, but it lowers the rates for everybody in the middle, there are some things obviously the estate tax helps folks who are wealthier. But I also don’t like to see family farms being sold, businesses that may hit the cap.”
“Do you know a single family farm sir,” Velshi asked. “Do you have an example of a single family farm that’s suffered because of the estate tax. We’re just looking for one. Because Republicans say it all the time. But no one’s actually been able to find one.
“I will give you a business that could have suffered,” the Congressman said.
“Let’s say we buy that entire argument,” Ruhle said. “Assuming that’s the case. In your opinion, why doesn’t the president say that and own that? Instead, he’s simply lying. Because if he is worth the 10 billion dollars, he says he is, getting rid of that estate tax would save his family four billion dollars. Why wouldn’t he, in your opinion speaking for yourself, not him, why doesn’t he say that.”
“Well I can’t speak for him,” the Congressman replied.
“I am not asking you to speak for him,” Ruhle shot back. “What is your opinion of the president lying?”
“I told you what the plan does,” the Congressman replied.
“Do you not have a view on that,” Velshi interjected. “That the president is telling a lie?”
“I haven’t paid attention to everything the president has said,” the Congressman replied.