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UP FRONTWednesday 27 December 2017
Democrats hope to use tax overhaul as a club against GOP
By BILL BARROW House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, standing party of middle-class and appreciative,” says Corry
Associated Press with Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., right, working-class America. Bliss, who runs a political
ATLANTA (AP) — A Demo- speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. They hope Republican ef- advocacy organization
cratic congressional candi- Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterms plan to argue that forts to gut the 2010 health and a separate political
date outside Philadelphia the legislation favors the wealthy and breaks President Donald care law and President action committee backed
calls the Republican tax Trump and Republicans’ promises to the middle class. Donald Trump’s unpopular- by House Speaker Paul
overhaul a “cynical bill” ity will help that cause. Ryan, R-Wis. “I think it sets
that will redistribute wealth (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) “It’s all a consistent mes- up a wonderful contrast for
upward. sage: This is not what you the midterms.”
One of her counterparts workers’ take-home pay Congress and to dent GOP were promised,” says Chris- Suburban Democrats like
in California dismisses es- up and down the income advantages in statehouses. sy Houlahan, a Democratic Houlahan particularly ob-
timates of tax savings for ladder, Democrats are Democrats hope to use the candidate in the suburban ject to a new cap on de-
most U.S. households and aiming to turn the tax law tax plan, passed without a Philadelphia district of Re- ductions for state and local
says the legislation is “just into a cudgel in next year’s single Democratic vote, to publican Rep. Ryan Costel- taxes, along with limits on
putting money in the pock- fight to retake control of stake their ground as the lo, who voted for the tax mortgage interest deduc-
et of the wealthy.” And in plan. He is one of Demo- tions. One provision limits
Kansas, a Democratic can- crats’ top GOP targets as a household to a maxi-
didate for governor says it’s they try to flip the 24 GOP- mum deduction of $10,000
“a recipe for disaster” that held seats necessary for a in state and local taxes,
signals inevitable cuts to House majority. including property lev-
popular programs like So- Republicans acknowledge ies. Interest calculated on
cial Security and Medicare. dismal polling for their ap- mortgage debt beyond
While Republicans cele- proach but count on a $750,000 also would not be
brate a massive tax over- turnaround in public opin- deductible, down from the
haul they say will goose ion as tax cuts for many current $1 million cap.
the economy and increase take effect. Those changes fall dispro-
A Wall-Street Journal/NBC portionately on the nation’s
News poll taken Dec. 13- largest metro areas, par-
15 found just 17 percent of ticularly along the coasts,
respondents expect to pay where median incomes
less in taxes, while a third are often much higher than
thought they’d pay more. the national benchmark
Two-thirds of those polled but where residents also
said corporations would have considerably higher
get breaks; more than half housing costs and local tax
said rich people would get burdens. Such House dis-
cuts. tricts feature prominently
Indeed, the overhaul slash- on Democrats’ target list
es the corporate rate from in 2018. Several are now
35 to 21 percent, and adds represented by Republi-
generous deductions for cans who voted against
certain types of businesses. the final tax bill, like House
Yet the plan also lowers Appropriations Committee
individual rates and alters Chairman Rodney Frelin-
various deductions and ghuysen, who represents
credits. Results vary widely New Jersey’s 11th congres-
but the nonpartisan Tax sional district. He cited the
Policy Center calculates deductions cap in explain-
that every income bracket ing his “no” vote. Freling-
will see gains in after-tax in- huysen’s potential general
come, at least until some of election opponent, Demo-
provisions expire after 2025. crat Mikie Sherrill, said the
The initial gains are estimat- congressman’s overall sup-
ed at about 0.5 percent for port for Ryan and the GOP
the bottom 20 percent of agenda still makes him
wage earners to about 2 “complicit” in the tax legis-
percent for most of the top lation. In California, Demo-
20 percent. cratic House challenger Gil
“When Americans see they Cisneros plans to hammer
have more in their pay- Rep. Ed Royce for backing
check, we think they’ll be the bill.q
