Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

These Charts Show Why Republicans Who Planned to Run on Trump's Tax Plan in November Are Going to Need a New Plan

These Charts Show Why Republicans Who Planned to Run on Trump's Tax Plan in November Are Going to Need a New Plan
MSNBC

Yeah, that's not gonna work.

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan proposed an idea that giving more money to the richest of Americans would ultimately benefit the poorest. The idea , intended to sell Americans on tax breaks for the wealthy during a poor economy, became known as Reaganomics.

No one bought Reaganomics by the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency, and George H. W. Bush paid for that failure, as did the American economy. But the failure of trickle down economics didn't stop it from being recycled as a selling point by the GOP in 2017.


But do Americans believe huge tax cuts for the richest of people and corporations benefit those lower on the income scale? Polling from the recent election in Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district seems to indicate they do not.

During an appearance on Morning Joe on MSNBC, President Barack Obama's car czar, broke down the numbers. Steven Rattner, who worked restructuring the auto industry in 2009 as Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury, is a renowned veteran Wall Street financier.

Ads touting the Republican tax cuts actually took public support away from the GOP candidate. These are numbers the GOP and President Donald Trump need to study leading up to the 2018 midterms.

Polls prior to the recent election, which saw Democrat Conor Lamb defeat Republican Rick Saccone, in a heavily red district, all indicated voter dissatisfaction with the GOP tax breaks.

The 18th congressional district is not the first district that favored Donald Trump in 2016 to flip blue. However it does seem to indicate a slight change in GOP strategy.

Early campaign ads and appearances praised the Republican tax plan, Donald Trump's signature achievement. But by the end of the Saccone campaign, no one as talking about it, including President Trump.

In his final appearance in Pennsylvania, stumping for Saccone, Trump spoke at length on his proposed tariffs, but failed to mention his former greatest achievement. Perhaps the facts that polls have been trying to convey finally sunk in.

The majority of American voters haven't forgotten Reaganomics. Trickle down theory failed in the 1980s and no one expects it to succeed now.

In addition, businesses made it clear where they will be spending their surplus money. It won't be on worker wages as the GOP claimed.

But will just not talking about their tax breaks for the wealthy help Republicans win in the 2018 midterm elections? We will see in November if a strategy of avoidance works for those members of the GOP who employ it.

More from News

Mehmet Oz
Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dr. Oz Raises Eyebrows Over His Bizarre Defense Of New Guidelines For Alcohol Consumption

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), raised eyebrows over his bizarre and surprisingly permissive defense of new guidelines for alcohol consumption, saying "it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize, and there’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way."

Oz spoke as the Trump administration on Wednesday released updated dietary guidelines for Americans, emphasizing whole and minimally processed foods, reduced consumption of refined carbohydrates, and what officials described as a “war” on added sugars.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bowen Yang
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Bowen Yang Gets Candid About Why He Decided To Leave 'SNL' After His Sudden Exit

Bowen Yang, who's well-known for his work on Saturday Night Live and his role in Wicked and Wicked: For Good, stepped off of the SNL stage for the last time, mid-season, after being a writer and performer for the past eight seasons.

During his final skit, Yang starred opposite Ariana Grande, with the couple playing a married couple. Grande was waiting for Bowen to come from after his final shift before retiring from working at an airport.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kyle Rittenhouse
Sean Krajacic-Pool/Getty Images

Kyle Rittenhouse Blasted Over Sociopathic Post Following ICE Shooting In Minneapolis

Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse sparked outrage after he offered to travel to Minnesota following ICE's fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claimed Good “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.” But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against this narrative considering witnesses described seeing Good in the vehicle trying to flee officers when she was shot.

Keep ReadingShow less
LEGO's 'SMART Brick'
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

Lego Just Unveiled Their New Tech-Heavy 'Smart Brick'—But Not Everyone Is Excited About It

LEGO has long been known for its fostering of creativity, independent play, and imaginative designs, both in their LEGO sets and free-form bricks.

Parents have long hailed LEGO as a viable option for fostering creativity and critical thinking, even when faced with the frustrations of children not cleaning up all of the pieces and the pains of potentially stepping on them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams
Bryan Bedder/Athlos/Getty Images

Serena Williams' Husband Just Stepped In To Defend Her From Accusations That She's Lightening Her Skin

When the Williams family burst onto the scene in the tennis world as juniors, an inordinate amount of discourse focused on Venus and Serena's appearance. The Williams sisters weren't the first Black people—men or women—to play tennis at an international level, but they quickly achieved heights that set them on the path to legendary status.

The heightened attention brought with it a lot of racist and colorist comments about their hair, their skin, and their bodies—especially Serena's more muscular and curvy body.

Keep ReadingShow less