Trump's Schizophrenia on Taxes and Obamacare

The Weekly Standard ^ | April 23, 2016 | By Jeffrey H. Anderson

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Donald Trump was asked this week, "Do you believe in raising taxes on the wealthy?" He replied, "I do. I do - including myself. I do."

Yet Trump's own tax plan would cut the highest marginal federal income-tax rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent.

How does this tax plan square with Trump's newly professed support for "raising taxes on the wealthy"?

This is similar to Trump's rampant inconsistency on Obamacare. Trump says he's for repealing Obamacare, but he's not for cutting Medicaid which, thanks to the efforts of those like John Kasich, accounts for most of Obamacare's coverage increases.

In other words, Trump wants to (quote, unquote) "repeal Obamacare" while mostly keeping its government-centric coverage expansion and government-driven price spikes. How does that constitute repeal?

[G Larry]

And Abortion, and touchback amnesty.

[G Larry]

Trump should do some research and actually ARTICULATE his tax plan instead of spouting off the cuff about raising taxes on the rich.

Except, he’s incapable because he neither owns or believes the tax plan on his website.

It’s just part of his act.

[jetson]

That’s right. Trump is a smart businessman and has done what no other republican will do and that is to use the Demorat tactics to win. Republicans are always so baffled as to why they get beaten instead of analyzing how demorats win. Now Trump will have to step it up if he get’s the nomination to beat down Crooked Hillary.

[Heart of Georgia]

I don’t believe for one second that Trump believes he’s not paying enough taxes.

I also don’t believe he’s not aware of this age-old game.

Yet — while so many have their attention focused on him — instead of simply explaining it to the American people so they can understand it once and for all (as a businessman who comprehends it could do very easiily), he goes along with it and perpetuates the myth.

[ConservativeMind]

Honestly, eliminate the loopholes and the amount paid by “the rich,” even if tax rates are reduced, goes up.

[huldah1776]

Two links from article:

The Main Street Tax Plan

Jeffrey H. Anderson

One page summary download:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/files/publications/20160226AndersonMainStreetTaxPlan1-pager.pdf

http://www.hudson.org/research/12042-the-main-street-tax-plan

An Alternative to Obamacare

Jeffrey H. Anderson

http://www.hudson.org/research/12004-an-alternative-to-obamacare

Uh oh, Hudson Institute:

Promoting American leadership and global engagement for a secure, free, and prosperous future.

GLOBALISTS!

[huldah1776]

Closing the loopholes is one thing he definitely would know a lot about.

[Cobra64]

Really? Unsubstantiated cheap shot. Get back to us when you have actionable evidence that you have even read his tax plan. Those who have agree that it is a very viable tax plan.

Furthermore, let's evaluate your financial success when you build a couple of buildings and golf courses.

[huldah1776]

I watched the aunt video and any idiot knows it was spliced, copied, and pasted. What garbage.

[Savage Rider]

When Trump takes contradictory positions on an item of discussion, people would like to know where the truth lies. Will he lower taxes, or take a liberal’s position of tax the wealthy, thus taking jobs out of the economy? If Trump is going to repeal Obamacare and give us universal health care, how will he accomplish that. Any Republican, even Trump, is better than Hillary/Bernie, but we would like to know our candidate. Discussing the need for specificity in issues doesn’t deserve a threat of being removed from the forum.

[huldah1776]

From DT’s website:

“Reducing or eliminating most deductions and loopholes available to the very rich.”

Ethics question. Would we be correct in assuming that DT knows all the ways the tax system benefits the wealthy and uses that system to his own benefit and knows that it is “unfair and cheating” the nation of income that could, for my favorite expense, buy parts for our Marine Corps jets?

If it is ok for DT to work the system, why is it not ok for candidates to use the delegate nomination system established within each party to win?

[SunkenCiv]

Tell our host.

[econjack]

Some people have no business writing articles that even remotely touch on economic issues. You can lower tax rates, but increase tax revenues at the same time. Indeed, that's exactly what the Laffer Curve is all about. Just look at what happened to tax receipts after the Kennedy and Reagan tax cuts.

For reasons I do not understand, we romanticize the poor in this country and vilify the rich? Why? The rich are the investors and risk-takers who make this economic system work. How many of you were hired by a poor person?

I'm living off SS and in the past 6 years I've had a 0.2% increase in benefits and had my payment redefined so it's now an entitlement. Really? I paid into that system for 44 years and I will only breakeven at the current benefit level if I live to be 137 years old. At the same time, transfer payments to deadbeats are up 31% under this clown. Free cell phones? How does that make sense, other than buying votes?

And to the Hollywood phonies and Buffet's of the world who complain that taxes are too low, why haven't you opened your checkbook and written a huge check to the IRS? If you don't do that, the STFU...the rest of us out here are struggling under this administration.

[richardtavor]

wow, everyone should just stay home and not vote since the polls say so...

[richardtavor]

I am not sure that I want to be part of ‘us’ if you are ‘us’..I think I would rather judge all of the candidates and make my own choice, not your’s..on the other hand, since you have made up your mind, why do you think it is important to bore everyone else with your opinion? Why don’t you just take that energy and go about your personal business, unless you somehow get gratification for espousing your views. Otherwise, just pass on information and not ‘your’ opinion. By providing the Trump Delegates names, you are actually providing useful and actionable information. I would encourage that action and not personal attacks. It is more useful.

[Nifster]

Weekly Standard=NRO

[HarleyLady27]

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/tax-reform

[sanjuanbob]

Are you so tightly wound that you’ve lost your sense of humor? That clip was funny!

[DoughtyOne]

[David]

Really not the case. People in the Real Estate business say stuff like this all the time--25% would in fact be a tax increase for Trump because his business activities generate significant tax shelter.

Repeal all the Real Estate tax shelters--REIT's; personal use real estate deductions like property taxes, interest, Sec. 704(b)(2)--special allocations; tax accumulations of carried interests on a mark to market basis in real estate development deals; eliminate use of 1031 (non taxable exchange) for people in the real estate development business; etc.; use the increased revenue to provide for general tax reductions.