The brutal combination of cruelty, incompetence and greed that characterizes the Trump administration never ceases to amaze us. Puerto Rico continues to suffer from the impact of Hurricane Maria, yet nine days after the storm hit, Puerto Rico still has no power, no water and dwindling supplies of food and medicine. Befitting the shell of a man devoid of empathy that he is, Trump’s response has focused on the financial cost of rebuilding Puerto Rico, rather than the human cost of continued inaction. When San Juan Mayor, Carmen Yulin Cruz, rightly excoriated his administration’s incompetence, Trump responded by insulting her. (Source: “On Twitter, Trump attacks mayor of San Juan for ‘poor leadership’ among deepening crisis,” by David Nakamura, The Washington Post, 9/30/17). Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary, sneering theocrat Tom Price, was forced to resign after racking up $1,000,000 in taxpayer- funded costs for private jet flights during his brief tenure. As many have noted, Price was incurring these costs while advocating for an 18% cut to his agency’s budget. Yet Price was hardly alone in indulging his champagne tastes on the taxpayer dime. EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt has run up $832,735.40 in costs for a round the clock security team, triple that of previous EPA chiefs (Source: “At EPA, guarding the Chief pulls agents from pursuing environmental crimes,” by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis, The Washington Post, 9/20/17).
Against this backdrop of indiscriminate profligacy, Trump and his Congressional collaborators released their “Tax Reform” plan. Even before the non-partisan Tax Policy Center released its analysis, it was clear that the proposal represented a massive tax cut for the ultra wealthy. The Tax Policy Center analysis projected that the plan would result in a $2.6 trillion dollar reduction in federal revenue. They found that taxpayers who earned in excess of $730,000 would receive 50% of the cuts, while middle to upper middle income (those making between $150,000-$300,000) would see their taxes increase over time (Source: “GOP Tax Plan Favors the Richest, Analysis Shows,” by John W. Schoen, CNBC.com, 9/29/17). The “reform” plan which eliminates the deduction for state and local taxes and most itemized deductions, while sharply cutting taxes for corporations,would shift the tax burden from companies to individuals (Source: “Under Trump’s Plan, Tax Cuts Shrink over time for Everyone but the Richest,” by Alicia Parlapiano and Jasmine C. Lee, The New York Times, 9/29/17).
Viewed together, these actions make it depressingly evident that the people in charge of our government plan to steal from the American people, in large ways and small, to bankroll their selfish appetites. These are public officials that do not serve the public; religious zealots with no sense of humility, charity or compassion; strict constructionists whose every action evinces ignorance or flagrant disregard of every amendment to the Constitution. The truth is, from “healthcare” reform to “tax reform,” from attacks on our voting rights to attacks on our First Amendment rights, we are under siege from within by those who profess to govern us. We will have use every nonviolent means at our disposal to fight back.
#Taxreform
#TomPrice
#PuertoRico
thank you, once again, for using your gifts to keep up the fight