Posted on 04/27/2017 7:26:46 AM PDT by Helicondelta
NBC host Matt Lauer asked Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to literally raise his right hand on Thursday and promise that President Trump's tax reform plan is revenue and deficit neutral.
Mnuchin appeared on "The Today Show" to discuss Trump's ambitious tax proposal, which significantly lowers tax rates for corporations and small businesses, lowers individual rates, decreases the number of income tax brackets from seven to three, and eliminates certain taxes like the death tax and the alternative minimum tax.
As Lauer noted with his question, critics charge that the plan favors the wealthy and will explode the deficit.
"Without getting overly dramatic then, Mr. Secretary, would you be willing to raise your right hand and look at the American people and say I, Steven Mnuchin, promise you that this will be revenue neutral and deficit neutral?" Lauer asked.
"Again, our objective, Matt, is to pay for this with economic growth," Mnuchin said. "So right now we're working with the House and the Senate. This is now about taking the president's principles and turning them into a bill that we can get passed and the president can sign this year so we can create economic growth."
"We're going to work closely with Congress to get this done," he continued. "Matt, yes, our principles are we want to pay for this with economic growth, and with reducing lots and lots of special interest deductions."
Trump's plan also roughly doubles the standard deduction for married couples from $12,700 of their income to $24,000. It eliminates all individual tax deductions except those for charitable giving and mortgage interest.
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
Lauer is such a tool
He would have been ridiculed and likely lost his job if he’d asked the same thing of any member of the Fraud’s administration.
Since when did this clown and the rest of the clowns in the media and Democratic party give a damn about budgets and deficits? Certainly not in the past 8 years.
Same as their hypocrisy on the fence that was approved in 2006.
I hope Mnuchin was not foolish enough to raise his hand up.
That would be yet another tool that the left could bash him with in the future. The article is unclear whether he did it or not. I would say no conservative should even go on Cuomo’s Morning Show, but the truth is, we have very few conservatively hosted shows to choose from. We are even losing Fox News to the liberals.
The reporters were brain dead yesterday at the presser too. They just don’t get the economy is dynamic, not static. The reality that tax cuts grow the economy, the growing economy increases revenue is not understood by way too many people. It needs to be jackhammered into peoples heads.
It was explained, then some other reporter would ask the same stupid “revenue-neutral” question again. It was amazing to watch.
Briefing with Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Director Gary Cohn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTlkX41zuhQ
Mnuchin is sharp, watch the presser in post 6.
“I was taught to never raise a hand to a woman. Next question.”
A simple google search on revenue data would confirm that cutting tax rates increases revenue year over year.
Exactly.
Not to be overly dramatic?? What a drama queen.
Going back 8-10 years, the media told me the following:
The economy under Bush was crippled by MASSIVE deficits! In 2007 Bush spent about 160 BILLION dollars more than we had. This was awful!!
The economy under Obama finally had a chance to turn around because Obama had the wisdom to engage in some economic boosting. Obama judiciously injected 1 TRILLION dollars into the economy, annually — for years — in order to revive our finances.
And, of course, you see, Trump will throw all of that goodness away by (perhaps) failing to be revenue neutral.
$28 million a year Matt Lauer defends the common man. Feh.
WHY does anybody talk to big media?
“Matt, I am glad you bring up revenue neutrality. The Democrats for decades have prevented any measures to insure balanced budgets, like you we feel this has to stop. The American people deserve better.”
“Again, our objective, Matt, is to pay for this with economic growth,” Mnuchin said.
And if that fails we will institute a Surcharge on ALL Broadcasts by FCC Licensed Entities, focusing on the Individual Broadcasters themselves to make up the Shortfall, and then a Surcharge on All other forms of Entertainment, focusing primarily on Television, Music, and Movies if they Advertise on FCC Licensed Television Stations.
Question here. raising my hand, hoping not to be overly dramatic.
I quit watching network news after the Florida hanging chad debacle. -
Just who is Matt Lauer again. Never heard of him and why would he be worth
$28,000,000.00 to anyone.
Hmm, maybe Lauer should have made some Obama administration officials raise their right hand and swear they if you like your doctor, you can keep you doctor or your insurance premiums will got down $2,500 a year.
Since when do they GIVE A $HIT ABOUT DEFICIT SPENDING????
Matt, would you raise your right hand and swear that you never cheated on your wife, with either a man or a woman?
While you’re at it, WHEN did you stop beating your wife?
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