On Thursday, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed their tax bill, leaving the Senate to decide whether or not to give a tax hike to most Americans while cutting taxes for the richest Americans.
The debate in the Senate is just getting started. On Thursday night, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, laced into Republicans for the particulars of their bill.
I think it would be nice, just tonight, before we go home, to just acknowledge, well this tax cut really is not for the middle class, it's for the rich. And that whole thing about higher wages, well it's a good selling point.
But we know that companies don't just give away higher wages. They don't give away higher wages because they have more money. Corporations are sitting on a lot of money. Corporations are sitting on a lot of money right now.
They're sitting on a lot of profits now. I don't see wages going up. So spare us the bank shots. Spare us the sarcasm and the satire.
That irked Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who shut Brown down. "I come from the poor people, and I've been working my whole stinkin' career for people who don't have a chance. And I really resent everybody saying that I'm just doing this for the rich. Give me a break."
Sherrod Brown really takes the fight to Orrin Hatch here. No Trumpian namecalling or low blows. Instead focusing on the GOP helping only the ultra-rich. Judging by how mad Hatch got, Brown hit a soft spot. pic.twitter.com/WxDFb8ipHB
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) November 17, 2017
But Hatch's argument had one basic flaw: His tax plan really does favor the rich. According to CNN, the tax bill includes giveaways that middle-class Americans won't get, such as tax breaks to private jet owners. At the same time, taxes for Americans making under $75,000 per year, while those making above $100,000 would pay less, according to the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. As the Washington Post succinctly put it: "Republicans opted to make the tax cuts for businesses permanent, but the cuts for individuals expire."
Hatch also attacked Democrats in general, saying, "This bullcrap that you guys throw out here really gets old after a while."
"Let me just say something," Hatch said. "I've got more bills than anybody on this committee put together. And they've been passed for the benefit of people in this country."
Let's see if he puts his vote where his mouth is.
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