Since its passage, the Republicans have not stopped talking about the tax bill as their silver bullet to hold the House majority, promising that every Republican would run on its claimed benefits. But Stivers just changed his tune. On Meet the Press Daily, NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers was just asked to defend the Republican tax scam and explain why the Republicans were forced to abandon that strategy by eliminating tax-related television ads, in a district President Trump won by 20 points last November.
It didn’t go great. You can watch the video for yourself, but the Republican excuses on why their tax scam failed so badly in PA-18 are starting to spin out of control.
A sample:
“Well Chuck, I think it was a little early because, frankly, this race started in October before tax reform even passed and then most people haven’t even seen the tax cuts in their paychecks.”
The NRCC has put out dozens of press releases on the tax bill since last December touting how Americans were already seeing more money in their paychecks. Rick Saccone even talked up how excited Pennsylvanians were to hear President Trump tout the tax bill in January.
“A lot of big businesses are just now putting it in the checks, so I think it’s just starting to work.”
Well, according to the NRCC, big businesses have been “putting it in the checks” since early January. In fact, as of January 18 the NRCC was confident Rick Saccone would win because he supported the tax bill that was so great for PNC Bank.
“So I believe it’s going to continue to snowball and get more popular.”
It didn’t get any more popular between January and March.
“I think it was a little early to run on tax reform, Chuck.”
Again: “I am confident Rick Saccone will win that seat. And the contrast is really clear, Dana. Rick Saccone supports tax reform.” – Rep. Steve Stivers, January 18, 2018.
“The benefits of tax reform have not had a chance to run through the economy or even in people’s individual paychecks yet.”
Huh. That is not at all what this video suggests.
“…you know how unpopular it was when it first passed…”
“And I told a lot of people, you know, it’s early to run on tax reform because people aren’t seeing it on their check yet.”
Congressional Leadership Fund – an organization that said “Tax Reform is the Key to Success” in 2018 – was up with tax reform ads on January 4. They eventually took them down.
“I think it will be an important part of the great American comeback we’ll be selling in November.”
Cool.