Posted on 11/15/2017 4:51:41 PM PST by SkyPilot
Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) said he opposes the Senate Republican tax package, becoming the first GOP voice of dissent that, if it gains momentum, could force significant changes or jeopardize the party’s goal to pass the bill before the end of the year.
“If they can pass it without me, let them,” Mr. Johnson said in an interview Wednesday, adding that the plan unfairly benefits corporations more than other types of businesses. “I’m not going to vote for this tax package.”
Any Republican opposition is significant because GOP leaders are counting on near universal support from within the party to pass a bill on party line votes. With 52 seats in the Senate, Republicans can lose no more than two votes unless they can somehow find a way to win votes from Democrats.
Other Senate Republicans have expressed concerns. Jeff Flake of Arizona, for example, has worried about deficits and Susan Collins of Maine has worried about Republican plans to repeal the insurance coverage mandate in the Affordable Care Act as part of a tax overhaul.
Until now, no Senate Republican has come out definitively against the GOP tax plan. The risk for GOP leaders is that other Republicans get behind Mr. Johnson’s opposition, and either stop the bill or slow its passage, depriving Republicans of the chance to boost after-tax income household income next year, during the elections.
Still, in a statement issued in the late afternoon, Mr. Johnson said he hoped that Republicans could address the disparity so he could support the final version of the tax bill. Such changes could be expensive and might force tax writers to make other changes. .
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Mr. Johnson said Republican plans prioritize corporations over “pass-through” entities—sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and S Corporations—whose owners pay taxes through individual returns and at individual income-tax rates, rather than corporate rates. The Senate plan, like the House plan, proposes to cut the corporate rate from 35% to 20%. Top rates for pass-through filers would remain over 30% in the Senate version of the bill and the House bill substantially constrains how much pass-through income could be taxed at a new 25% rate.
I hate this bill because it raises taxes on millions of middle and upper middle class families in order to "pay for" cutting corporate taxes. That isn't what President Trump ran on.
The Senate could bribe him with a bone, but that will only put pressure on them to hike taxes on individuals even more to pay for a more generous business tax cut than what was proposed.
Tax Bill ping....
Is the Tax Package even finished yet ?
I haven’t liked what I read.
Republicans had 7 years to come up with a plan to repeal and replace obamacare. Nothing.
They’ve had years to come up with a good tax plan that they could get a consensus of republicans to support. Nothing.
Have they gotten anything done since they’ve had both houses of congress? They’re as bad as democrats.
He’s just the “designated maverick” to ensure the bill fails. Kabuki theater. The gop faction of the uniparty is bound and determined to lose the election in 2018. They want to return to the good old days in the minority when they didn’t have to lead.
Politics is a scam and we’re suckers for playing.
I repeat...ten percent...flat tax...No exceptions,no deductions everyone has 10 percent skin in every years game...everyone.Watch the economy boom and the give aways disappear. Stop the social engineering!
There are two versions: the House and Senate. The Senate version is even harsher on individuals in some ways, and the House has terrible flaws as well. Which one is worse is dependent on your situation and your deductions.
The House is supposed to vote on their version tomorrow.
The gop is just the other faction of the uniparty. No real difference in philosophy between themselves and the dems.
Politics is a scam and we’re suckers for playing.
He’s just the “designated maverick” to ensure the bill fails. Kabuki theater.
Yep. Johnson was just reelected and isn’t up for SIX YEARS. No reason for him to do this other than stick it to POTUS.
It’s a phony tax bill. I hope it’s defeated
The Takers cannot be asked to pay taxes!
You know that!
The Republicans are falling for the Democrat propaganda: We have to pay for tax cuts!
Check out JFK’s speech in 1961 - a tax cut will pay for itself in the long run!
Amen.
Why should big multinationals have a lower tax rate than small businesses who employ more people? Because big business donates more to the GOP scum in Congress.
In the sweet old country where I come from
Nobody ever works
Yeah nothing gets done
We hang fire, we hang fire
They take turns being maverick. More fun that way.
Yup. This is a "GOPe Donors and K Street bill" - not a tax reform bill.
NY Rep. Collins says donors told him to get tax reform done 'or don't ever call' again
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57501545/3.22.3.0.jpg)
We are not going to get real reform with this Congress.
All of the undocumented Democrats in R jerseys need to be repealed and replaced.
Alexander, Corker, Flake, Graham, Hatch, Heller, Hoeven, Murkowsky, McCain, Rubio, Gardner, Burr, Tillis, Portman, McConnell, Thune, Cornyn, Cochran, Isackson, Blunt, Johnson, Toomey, Capito, Rounds, Fischer, Collins, Wicker, Sasse, Ernst, Lankford, Young, Boozman and Shelby are all undocumented Democrats in R jerseys.
Still, not a single Republican senator complaining about the loss of all individual SALT deductions.
That’s an ominous sign.
Still, whatever mechanism kills it, I’m OK with it. While my tax situation is not ideal and I pay far too much, I would pay a LOT more under either plan.
A lot more. Thousands more every year.
This one will not tolerate being pushed out of the Maverick Spotlight by some snippy upstart.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.