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U.S. NEWS Thursday 28 sepTember 2017
AP: Dark days for Senate Leader Trump pitches tax cut as ‘middle class miracle’
McConnell as losses cast doubts By KEN THOMAS health care proposal. among the most endan-

By ERICA WERNER Associated Press The tax plan seeks to slash gered Senate Democrats
the corporate rate from 35
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — facing re-election in 2018.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans reckoned Promising a “middle class percent to 20 percent and Donnelly has expressed
create three individual tax
Wednesday with an insurgent’s win in Alabama that pos- miracle,” President Donald brackets with rates of 12 openness to the tax over-
haul as part of an effort
es clear threats to their own grip on power and the lead- Trump on Wednesday was percent, 25 percent and
ership of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. in full salesman mode as he to penalize companies for
Nearly $10 million spent by a McConnell-backed super
PAC couldn’t save incumbent GOP Sen. Luther Strange,
who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump
as well. It came the same day that McConnell, short of
votes, pulled the plug on the latest and possibly final GOP
effort to repeal and replace “Obamacare.”
Coming together, the events raised questions about Mc-
Connell’s leadership within the Senate and without, cast-
ing doubt on his reputation both as a seasoned politi-
cal operator and a nearly unbeatable vote-counter on
Capitol Hill.“I’d hate to think about where we would be
without Sen.
McConnell’s efforts. But I think we’ll learn from it, and
we’ll adjust,” McConnell’s No. 2, Sen. John Cornyn of Tex-
as, said of the victory of rabble-rousing former jurist Roy
Moore, known for hanging the Ten Commandments in his
courtroom in defiance of federal court orders. “We’re all
listening and watching very closely and trying to under-
stand the message that’s being sent.”
To some conservative campaign operatives, there was
little question about that message.
“Alabama was a rejection of Mitch McConnell and the
entire Republican establishment that he represents,” said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., an-
nounce the Republicans’ proposed rewrite of the tax code for individuals and corporations, at the
Andy Surabian, senior adviser to the pro-Trump group Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. President Donald Trump and congressional
Great America Alliance, which spent more than $150,000 Republicans are writing a far-reaching, $5-trillion plan they say would simplify the tax system and
on Moore’s behalf. nearly double the standard deduction used by most Americans.
“Everyone is going to be under the microscope. That (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
doesn’t mean everyone is going to have a serious prima- tried to build momentum 35 percent, with a recom- offshoring.
ry challenger,” he said. behind his plan to overhaul mended surcharge on the But instead of buttering him
“But if you think you’re going to be able to take a cheap the nation’s tax code and very wealthy. Trump also up, Trump issued a warning
shot at the president to score a few political points in the revive his moribund legisla- wants to simplify the tax shot to Donnelly from the
mainstream media, you have another thing coming.” tive agenda. code to allow the major- stage: Support my plan or
McConnell allies strongly disputed claims that he was a Hours after the White ity of Americans to file on a I’ll campaign against you
drag on Strange, arguing that despite low approval rat- House and congressional single sheet of paper. next year.
ings that come with being a party leader in Congress, Republicans released a Calling his plan a “gi- “If Senator Donnelly doesn’t
there was scant real evidence that opposition to the framework for sweeping ant win for the American approve it — because you
Kentucky Republican was a motivating factor for voters changes to the tax system, people,” Trump derided know he’s on the other side
in a race where local issues, including the former gover- the president told hun- the current tax system as a — we will come here and
nor’s corruption scandal, played a major role. But one Re- dreds of supporters at the “relic” and a “colossal bar- we will campaign against
publican operative working on 2018 Senate races, who Indiana State Fairgrounds rier” standing in the way him like you wouldn’t be-
requested anonymity to discuss internal GOP dynamics, the plan was “a once-in-a- of the nation’s economic lieve,” Trump said. Still, he
said the party is increasingly worried about the impact generation opportunity.” comeback. predicted that “numerous
of McConnell’s unpopularity among GOP voters on es- “This is a revolutionary “We’re going to remove Democrats” would choose
tablishment primary candidates, particularly after anoth- change and the biggest that barrier to create the to back the plan because
er health care failure.McConnell did get a vote of con- winners will be the every- tax system that our people “it’s the right thing to do.”
fidence, of sorts, from Trump, who told reporters asking day American workers as finally, finally, finally want “Democrats and Repub-
whether he had confidence in the majority leader: “I do jobs start pouring into our and deserve,” he said. licans in Congress should
have confidence in him, yes. I do have confidence. country, as companies The sales pitch also offered come together, finally, to
But it’s really not up to me, it’s up to the Senate, but I do start competing for Ameri- more evidence that Trump deliver this giant win for
have confidence in him. can labor, and as wages would — unlike with health the American people and
I will say they used him in the race, and I was very hon- start going up at levels that care — make an attempt begin middle class miracle
ored by the way I was treated in the race, but they used you haven’t seen in many to cultivate a small group — it’s called a middle class
him in the race.” years,” he said. of moderate Democrats miracle — once again,” he
Republican senators, too, worried about the political fall- Passing the tax plan has who might be willing to said.
out from Strange’s loss heading into an election cycle become critical for a presi- cross the aisle and back The president has also
where they will be defending a slim 52-48 majority. Al- dent desperate for a win. his plan. Congress has made overtures to Demo-
though few GOP incumbents are seen as truly vulnerable, Trump has faced repeat- not approved significant cratic senators like Claire
others could attract troublesome primary challenges like ed, embarrassing setbacks, changes to the tax system McCaskill of Missouri and
those already looming for Republican Sens. Dean Heller including Republicans’ fail- since 1986, at the height of Heidi Heitkamp of North
of Nevada, Jeff Flake of Arizona and potentially Roger ure to repeal and replace President Ronald Reagan’s Dakota in recent weeks.
Wicker of Mississippi. former President Barack popularity and after exten- All three face re-election in
“This is going to be interpreted by the so-called anti-es- Obama’s health care law. sive hearings and delibera- 2018.
tablishment forces as a victory they can build on and I Short of votes, Senate Re- tions. Trump urged those gath-
suspect they’ll be out recruiting candidates to try and pri- publicans announced Joining Trump aboard Air ered to call their congress
mary many of our incumbent senators,” said Sen. Tuesday that they would Force One was Indiana members to pressure them
John Thune of South Dakota.q not vote on the latest Sen. Joe Donnelly, who is to pass the plan.q