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Here’s the incredibly unpopular GOP tax reform plan — in one graph

Rogue Valley

Rogue Valley

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Here’s the incredibly unpopular GOP tax reform plan — in one graph

By John Sides
November 18

A Republican tax plan has passed the House, but obstacles remain in the Senate. One of those obstacles: The plan appears to be not just unpopular, but also distinctively — almost historically — unpopular. My fellow George Washington University political scientist Chris Warshaw compiled public polls capturing support for major legislation dating back almost 30 years. Here’s what he found:

heres-the-incredibly-unpopular-gop-tax-reform-plan-in-one-graph.jpg


On average, only about 30 percent of Americans support the tax plan. This is lower than support for almost any of these legislative initiatives. The only thing that was less popular was … the Republican health-care bill that was intended to replace the Affordable Care Act. We know how that turned out. Majorities of Americas believe that the GOP tax plan will not give them a tax cut or increase economic growth, but it will benefit the rich. Of course, perhaps the GOP can thread the needle and pass a bill with a bare majority of support in the Senate. There’s nothing that says public opinion has to carry the day.

But, as with the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Republicans in Congress are making it hard for themselves. After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, several other political scientists and I found that Democrats in competitive districts who supported the ACA were punished in the 2014 elections — losing almost six points of vote share compared to similar Democrats who opposed the ACA. And the ACA was actually more popular in 2009 than is the Republican tax reform plan now. Does this mean that pushing unpopular bills will lead to a similar fate for Republicans in 2018? We certainly don’t know. But we’re about to test the hypothesis that you can buck public opinion only for so long.
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In short, the GOP is pushing to pass a tax-reform bill in 2017 that is far less popular than the Obamacare (ACA) bill when it passed in 2009.

IMHO, the GOP will pay a steep price for such arrogance and wealth-bias in 2018/2020.
 
Fletch said:
Who says its unpopular?
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The Washington Post.

Of course, the tax plan is unpopular. For one thing, no one knows what's in it, as there are at least two different versions and nothing has passed Congress so far. For another, few people trust the Trump Administration.
 
Dittohead not! said:
The Washington Post.

Of course, the tax plan is unpopular. For one thing, no one knows what's in it, as there are at least two different versions and nothing has passed Congress so far. For another, few people trust the Trump Administration.
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Which is why I asked. What the poll doesn't specify is how many of those people polled have actually read the bill. I suspect the answer is virtually zero. If the people polled are uniformed, why does it matter what they feel? Its like listening to a critic pan a movie he hasn't seen or a book he hasn't read. such commentary or polls are irrelevant.
 
Fletch said:
Which is why I asked. What the poll doesn't specify is how many of those people polled have actually read the bill. I suspect the answer is virtually zero. If the people polled are uniformed, why does it matter what they feel? Its like listening to a critic pan a movie he hasn't seen or a book he hasn't read. such commentary or polls are irrelevant.
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The unpopularity is irrelevant to whether the tax bill is beneficial or detrimental. None of us really knows. As you said, how many have read it? Moreover, even in the unlikely event that someone on DP actually knows what's in one version of the bill or another, there really is no bill as of yet.

But, in order to stay in power, Congress is better off passing popular bills than unpopular ones. Therefore, it does matter that tax reform is unpopular, whether or not people understand it.

Moreover, people don't trust the Trump Administration, and therefore won't trust what they support.
 
Rogue Valley said:
Here’s the incredibly unpopular GOP tax reform plan — in one graph



In short, the GOP is pushing to pass a tax-reform bill in 2017 that is far less popular than the Obamacare (ACA) bill when it passed in 2009.

IMHO, the GOP will pay a steep price for such arrogance and wealth-bias in 2018/2020.
Click to expand...
[emphasis added by bubba]

great cite and post. however, i must disagree with your conclusion

this tax gift to the rich was bought and paid for ... wait for it - by the rich

it is not the voter who actually elects politicians in this era, it is those who have the means to legally bribe the politicians with "campaign contributions"

until that changes, we will continue to have the best government money can buy





i so hope that you are correct and i am wrong about this
 
Dittohead not! said:
The Washington Post.

Of course, the tax plan is unpopular. For one thing, no one knows what's in it, as there are at least two different versions and nothing has passed Congress so far. For another, few people trust the Trump Administration.
Click to expand...

"No one knows what's in it" - I guess that means that soon, Trump will give a speech claiming, "It's a big, beautiful tax bill that cuts middle-class taxes and makes the rich pay lots more. It will get rid of the individual mandate from failed Obamacare, which means that health care will be so cheap that you won't believe it! You'll get tired of saying "I can't believe how cheap health care is!" And all the corporations will get their tax rate cut, but they will pay lots more, believe me!"
 
Glen Contrarian said:
"No one knows what's in it" - I guess that means that soon, Trump will give a speech claiming, "It's a big, beautiful tax bill that cuts middle-class taxes and makes the rich pay lots more. It will get rid of the individual mandate from failed Obamacare, which means that health care will be so cheap that you won't believe it! You'll get tired of saying "I can't believe how cheap health care is!" And all the corporations will get their tax rate cut, but they will pay lots more, believe me!"
Click to expand...

you are so plugged into the white house's bull**** that you should send hope hicks a resume revealing your obvious qualifications to work in the (mis)communications office
 
Glen Contrarian said:
"No one knows what's in it" - I guess that means that soon, Trump will give a speech claiming, "It's a big, beautiful tax bill that cuts middle-class taxes and makes the rich pay lots more. It will get rid of the individual mandate from failed Obamacare, which means that health care will be so cheap that you won't believe it! You'll get tired of saying "I can't believe how cheap health care is!" And all the corporations will get their tax rate cut, but they will pay lots more, believe me!"
Click to expand...

Yes, that sounds like something he would say, along with, "Don't know what's in it? Well, we'll just have to pass it to see." Now, where have I heard that before?
 
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Yes, people actually fall for such prop theatrics.

:rofl
 
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