Republicans appear to be unfazed by the major blow they were dealt in Tuesday’s elections, as they continue to move forward with a tax reform plan that would decimate the same voters behind the Democratic wave: Suburbanites.
In a statement on Thursday, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi hit Republicans for their massive giveaway for the wealthy and told House Speaker Paul Ryan that the legislation will push “Suburban Republicans into extinction.”
Pelosi’s full statement:
At every stage, the GOP tax scam grows more generous for multi-national corporations and more destructive toward American workers and middle class families. The Senate bill confirms it: Washington Republicans are dead-set on raising taxes on middle class families to give tax breaks to the wealthiest one percent and corporations shipping American jobs overseas.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Republicans are about to tattoo their most vulnerable, suburban Members with a huge middle class tax hike. Every House Republican who votes for the GOP tax scam next week is voting to completely destroy the state and local tax deduction, and raise taxes on their own constituents.
It turns out that deficit hawks are extinct in the Republican Party. Now, Speaker Ryan is going to drive suburban Republicans into extinction too.
Instead of doing some soul searching, the GOP appears to be doubling down on the out-of-touch governing that has quickly turned the American people off since Trump took office.
Despite promising a tax plan that would be “beautiful” for middle-income folks, it is increasingly looking like just another Republican “scam” meant to fill the pockets of those who don’t need it at the expense of everybody else.
So not only is the GOP embracing the unpopular president and divisive version of American politics, but they’re turning a blind eye to the folks that helped them succeed in 2016 and emboldening those who may have sat out last year’s elections.
As The New York Times noted on Wednesday, “The American suburbs appear to be in revolt against President Trump after a muscular coalition of college-educated voters and racial and ethnic minorities dealt the Republican Party a thumping rejection on Tuesday and propelled a diverse class of Democrats into office.”
If the GOP continues to embrace Trump and push for policies that put the donor class over the middle class, what happened on Tuesday will happen on a much larger scale in 2018 – and beyond.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
