Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders took a machete to the Republican tax scam on Monday, saying that it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why it’s so unpopular.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Sanders said “people aren’t stupid” and can tell when they are being sold a bill of goods by the Republican-controlled Congress.
Video:
‘People Aren’t Stupid’: Bernie Sanders Shuts Down GOP Tax Scam In 15 Seconds pic.twitter.com/qz7OiJqXLA
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— Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) December 19, 2017
When Hayes presented polling information about the bill to Sanders, he responded:
People aren’t stupid. They understand when the deficit goes up by $1.4 trillion, when the lion share of the benefits go to the people that need it the least, no, they won’t be sympathetic to this very disastrous and unfair tax plan.
As the former presidential candidate said, widespread opposition to the Republican tax proposal is more than just good messaging by the Democrats. It’s also the fact that the American people know when they are about to be scammed.
The proposal being rammed through Congress at this hour is a massive handout to the wealthiest Americans and corporations. In the short-term, the plan will hand crumbs to some middle and lower-class folks, but many of them will ultimately either face a tax increase immediately or in the long-term. Many more are likely to see cuts to programs they rely on when Republicans come back and try to slash funding to pay for this bill.
The Democrats have, indeed, done a good job shaping the debate around the Republican tax plan – but they’re only using material given to them by the GOP, who have crafted a piece of legislation that will hurt millions of Americans.
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.
