Democrats lead by 18 points in the generic ballot according to the most recent CNN poll. 56% of respondents said they are most likely to vote for the Democratic candidate while 36% said they would vote for the Republican. Pundits have been giddy reciting these polls.
Polls are a snapshot in time. Unfortunately for Democrats, the election is still 10+ months away. Ten months is an eternity in politics. And based on the pushback giving the bill by Democrats and left-leaning pundits, those 18 points could evaporate.
Recently, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), appeared on Morning Joe after Congress struck a deal on the tax cut scam.
It was evident that Congressman Brady intended to spin. Willie Geist asked him the wrong questions as he pushed the carried interest issue without enough context. It’s not about giving tax breaks to wealthy people; it is about theft from the masses.
Geist should have told the listeners how much carried interest adds up to and ask the congressman why increasing the deficit by that amount, which the masses will pay for in interest on the debt, cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and infrastructure, is not class warfare. Geist should have asked the Congressman, why take money away from poor and middle-class Americans to give to huge windfalls to people who already got rich off the labor of Americans. Framed in this manner makes carried interest a threat to the poor and middle-class Americans rather than some esoteric benefit for the rich they do not understand.
Every left-leaning pundit on TV points to study after study to validate their point that the Republican tax cut scam will not juice the economy, nor will it be a net positive for the average American.
But Republicans have several studies, too. Those of us in the know realize that the studies on the right are biased to ensure a particular outcome. The method to mislead is right out of the Powell Manifesto.
But everyday, busy, working Americans just hear “competing studies.” And many go on to default acceptance of the one that fits their ideology.
Democrats and left-leaning pundits need to spend the time to break down the issues. Why is it that tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations are not the best way to create economic growth? Answer in a manner that makes sense, and that anyone can understand. Here are some straightforward talking points.
Why tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations fail to increase wages and employment
- Companies hire more people when they need help to provide products and services.
- Wealthy people already have money, so new money will not result in buying things they would not have bought before. Therefore, they will just bank the extra money.
- Corporations that receive tax cuts will not build more factories or hire more workers if people are not buying. They will simply give the money to their shareholders and executives.
- If companies are not hiring, there is no need to increase wages because there is always someone not working who will take the job for the same pay.
Why tax cuts and credits for the middle-class and poor work
- When the poor and middle-class get extra money, they either spend it or pay off debt.
- When the poor and middle-class spend money they would not have spent because they did not have it, they create additional demand in the economy. They buy clothes, cars, home appliances, etc. They go out to eat and go to the movies, and much more. They create demand for a lot more products and services.
- Businesses and corporations must meet that expanding demand. Companies buy or manufacture more of the products and services that people are buying. They hire more workers to fulfill the demand.
The Republican spin went on for nine minutes on Morning Joe. It was “Mission Accomplished” by the Republican spin machine. This is not uncommon. Except for Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle and a few other hosts on cable TV, coverage of issues that inform Americans allowing them to make good choices is in short supply. While the latest tax cut bill will further steal from Americans, leaving the GOP narrative unchecked could turn this boondoggle into a qualified political success in the long run.