Mr. Trump says that he wants to give middle class Americans a ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut benefit for Christmas. Yay! He has been touting this gift for a while now and is confident that he can either dupe or pressure congressional Republicans into passing his tax bill immediately and putting it on his desk so that he can sign it. However, there is one minor problem – a small hurdle that he and his Republican minions in congress expect to easily clear along party lines, and that problem is that neither he nor the majority of the congressional Republicans really know what is in the bill. And those that do have no real idea of the impact that it will have on the economy. They just know that they have to pass something that at least resembles major legislation before the end of Mr. Trump’s first complete year in office or face disaster.
It does not matter that if this bill passes – based on the apparent thinking of many congressional Republicans, that the law itself could become a disaster for America; what matters to them is that Republicans while in control of the House, Senate, and the White House, will be able to avoid being confronted with the fact that they did not pass a single piece of major legislation during Mr. Trump’s first year in office. Just as important, this will increase their chances of being able to avoid the ire of their deep-pocket donors and hopefully prevent them from closing their wallets to the Republican party.
So wait, let me think… Okay, HELLO, where do those of us who are supposed to be the recipients of this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift come in?! I’m starting to think that this whole ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift for the middle class is a farce! Why do the ‘big beautiful’ tax cuts for the middle class sunset and those for the corporations continue in perpetuity?! And why is it that almost half of the benefits of this ‘big, beautiful tax cut gift go to Americans who are in the top 1 percent?! Wait, something doesn’t smell right here. Actually, it’s starting to stink. Aha! Now I see clearly. This ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift is really for big corporations and the wealthy. And in the long run, the middle class will end up paying for this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift to those corporations and the wealthy. Give me a break!
Let me tell you what I’m getting for Christmas from my AARP MedicareComplete folks. They recently sent me a letter that said that the dental coverage I had in 2017 is no longer offered under my 2018 plan. They said that there is a new optional dental coverage called the ‘Dental Platinum Rider’ instead. They further said that it would cost $39 per month versus the $13 per month that I am currently paying and that I can either switch to this new plan by letting them know by December 31, 2017; or, they said, if they don’t hear from me by December 31, 2017, my plan will not include dental coverage starting January 1, 2018. Finally, they said that I will receive a new member ID card in the mail that doesn’t include dental coverage and that I can destroy the card that I recently received from them. Whoa! It’s the gift that keeps on giving…one day at a time less of my current cheaper coverage; and like the situation in the ‘big, beautiful tax cut for the middle class in Mr. Trump’s tax bill, even it sunsets on December 31, 2017 and I will have to either pay the higher rate (a 300% increase) or go without dental insurance.
What does this have to do with Mr. Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift? While I cannot guarantee you that it is directly related to Mr. Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ tax cut gift to the middle class, I do know that he has been working hard to destabilize Obamacare, that the elimination of the Obamacare individual mandate is a part of his ‘big beautiful’ tax cut package, that this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift – if it is passed – will greatly increase the deficit (somewhere between 1.4 and 2 trillion dollars), and that – ultimately – this increase will likely be addressed by taking the money from Medicare and Medicaid. Whether directly or indirectly, this has an impact on the rates charged by insurance companies affiliated in any way with Medicare or Medicaid. I will leave it to you to decide whether this ‘big, beautiful’ tax cut gift directly or indirectly impacts on my situation or has no impact at all. I know what I think!
In light of the bizarre way that Mr. Trump is conducting himself and the meteoric pace at which America is losing political capital at home and abroad, why should anyone not question where the loyalty of congressional Republicans lies? Further, why should Americans continue to have any degree of confidence in the current Republican controlled congress or believe any word that comes out of Mr. Trump’s mouth? This is a question worth asking. I hope that all Americans, whether or not they agree with me, will get engaged and take a real close look at what is happening in and to America. Then, I hope that you will remain engaged and help to assure and secure the future of America by fulfilling your responsibility as citizens and exercising your right to vote. And always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!
Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line