According to a SurveyMonkey poll posted in an Axios report, the Trump tax overhaul is gaining widespread support with a majority of Americans favoring the measure by majority Republicans. Support for the Tax Cut and Jobs Act is now at 51 percent, up from 37 in December.
Hundreds of American companies have given their employees bonuses, as well as raising hourly minimum wages. Moreover, more business are investing and expanding, causing a wave of economic growth that has not been seen in years.
Even though things are beginning to improve on Main Street America, some Democrats are still expressing their disgust with the new tax law. The garbage-throwing tactics from liberal lawmakers are showing everyone that they do not approve of the economic benefits many are witnessing. Do they actually understand the situation of the people they represent?
Furthermore, Democrats are asserting their disappointment in Republicans by calling the thousands of dollars companies are giving to employees and increased take-home pay as “crumbs.” In January, just a month after President Donald Trump signed the tax overhaul into law, the champion of liberalness, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), slammed the president’s tax reform that led to companies giving bonuses as large as $2,000 “crumbs.”
In a report from Fox News, Congresswoman Pelosi may have forgotten that she blanketed former President Obama with praise after he managed to secure a $40 tax cut to workers in 2011. She called referred to it as a “victory for America.” Therefore, it has become apparent that her reticence towards the Trump Administration has clouded her judgement on what exactly reality is.
Considering there is substantial wage growth in the U.S., a booming stock market, and other subsequent positive economic factors, the Republican-led tax overhaul will present a problem to Democrats who oppose on a partisan basis. This has created an inconclusive message that the Democrats have been using as they begin to cobble together a cohesive economic narrative for the 2018 midterm elections.
In a report from Business Insider, due to the increasing national favorability of the tax overhaul, the Democratic super-PAC Priorities USA is now circulating a memo to elected officials and 2018 hopefuls about the “threat” it poses to the messaging of Democrats.
“When voters have heard messages from both Democrats and Republicans on the tax bill, Democrats have won,” the memo states. “Unfortunately, that debate has been relatively one-sided recently and voters have not heard nearly as much from Democrats.”
The memo also included a myriad of polling data on President Trump. This outwardly shows that Democrats are focused on one thing and one thing only – the White House. Just as the Democrats crafted their messaging in 2017 in state house races across the country, liberals with now be campaigning once again on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment and resistance of his administration.
In the memo, the analysts explain that, “Democrats continue to hold an advantage over Republicans.” What advantage, where?
On Wednesday, a Morning Consult/Politico poll shows that Republicans have surpassed their Democratic counterparts on the November generic ballot. Of course, economic policies are a main benefactor. 39 percent of respondents claim they would vote Republican if the election were held today, compared to 38 percent who would vote for Democrats. This erases a 10-point Democrat advantage held in mid-December.
According to the memo, Democrats must show their differences on healthcare and the economy. Importantly, Democrats need to show American voters that certain portions of the population received larger economic benefits than less-affluent others. However, Democrats are left with few avenues to change the narrative that the Republican-led overhaul has helped bolster the economy and America is back in business.
Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus Linda Sanchez (CA-38) commented recently on the “crumbs” phrase from the leader of her delegation.
“I would just add that all along I’ve been telling people you may see a small benefit from the tax bill initially, you may get a shiny new dime or nickel and they may say, ‘Look this is your benefit that you get out of this tax bill,’ while the wealthiest Americans and multinational corporations are shoving hundred dollar bills in their pockets and they’re laughing as they walk out the door,” Sanchez said.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (NY-14) expressed the same sentiment as Sanchez. Both noted that bonuses corporations are giving out to employees are “one-offs” and do not translate to permanent wage growth. They claim these bonuses actually, “disadvantage the middle class.”
“I think for people making $40,000 a year, any increase in their take-home is significant for them and I don’t want to diminish that at all,” Crowley stated. “But I think what is important to note here is has Linda has said, these are not in perpetuity. What about next year, what about the year after that? What I think people are looking for is increase in their pay,” he added.
Nevertheless, Democrats are embattled with each other on economic messaging. Some within the party claim the “crumbs” comments about the tax overhaul, providing relief for millions and millions of Americans is unhelpful for their campaigns.
In the report, Maryland Congressman John Delaney (MD-6), who has already announced that he is running for president in 2020 to challenge Trump, said that the comments from Sanchez and Pelosi are, “‘of course’ bad messaging.”
“You know I think the way we deal with the tax bill is by being honest about it, saying across time the very significant tax reductions for groups and parts of our economy that really weren’t needed will hurt the fiscal condition of the country and put us in a bad position as it relates to other priorities we have,” Delaney said. “A lot of people in this country are struggling and if they get a little relief in their taxes, they’re gonna like that,” he claims.
Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman and Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-5) also criticized the efforts of party leaders to diminish relief from the tax overhaul. Though, he also reiterated that, “the lion’s share of the gains go to the very wealthiest people,” according to him.
Although Ellison said he would not describe the tax relief as crumbs. He said, “it’s incredibly inequitable…And it’s gonna cause long-term measured problems.”
Regardless of the lead democrats think they have, a wise man once said, “a lead that is waning is not a lead at all.” Congressional Democrats still do not realize that a campaign based on hate and resistance does not evolve into a legislative agenda. If they want to know what that looks like, as has been said before, ask the freshman democrats of the Virginia House of Delegates.