GOP Presents Budget, Tax Reform Plans; MSNBC's Wagner Gushes It's 'Christmas in March' for Democrats
Today Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Republicans unveiled a budget and tax reform plan. But for Center for American Progress alumna Alex Wagner, it was Christmas morning, with the Ryan budget as a handy cudgel with which Democrats and MSNBC could bludgeon politically hapless Republicans.
"[S]ome Democrats are calling it Christmas in March," MSNBC anchor Wagner quipped on her March 20 Now program as she presented a quick overview of the "nuts and bolts" of the plan such as "repealing the Affordable Care Act," simplifying the federal individual income tax down to two brackets, 10 and 25 percent, and reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent.
Wagner's recital of those policies suggested that they're unpopular with the electorate. But the polls tell a different story. A recent Gallup poll shows at least 56 percent of Americans want to scrap ObamaCare. A Washington Post/ABC News poll has a much higher figure at 67 percent of adults. Another recent poll found less support for repeal but found 72 percent of Americans believe the individual mandate forcing Americans to buy insurance is unconstitutional. You may recall that the Supreme Court will take up a challenge to the individual mandate next week.
As to the notion of a top marginal tax rate of 25 percent and a corporate tax rate of 25 percent, there's polling data that show most Americans think that would be fair public policy (emphasis mine):
Three-quarters of likely voters believe the nation’s top earners should pay lower, not higher, tax rates, according to a new poll for The Hill.
The big majority opted for a lower tax bill when asked to choose specific rates; precisely 75 percent said the right level for top earners was 30 percent or below.
The current rate for top earners is 35 percent. Only 4 percent thought it was appropriate to take 40 percent, which is approximately the level that President Obama is seeking from January 2013 onward.
The Hill Poll also found that 73 percent of likely voters believe corporations should pay a lower rate than the current 35 percent, as both the White House and Republicans push plans to lower rates.
These facts were of course unreported by Wagner and her panel members.
For his part CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin complained that the Ryan budget blueprint didn't contain enough specifics about how federal budget deficits would be plugged.
"This is Christmas in March if you're a Democrat because this is sort of silly season, this is not going anywhere fast," Sorkin predicted before conceding that "the good news is, he's put something out. Give him credit for that."
"By the way, Democrats have not put something out, so, that's kind of interesting," Sorkin added.
Actually, today marks the 1,056th day since Senate Democrats last introduced a budget. That's nearly three years of going without a federal budget.
Needless to say, neither Sorkin nor Wagner brought that fact up nor did they attack as "silly," much less reckless, Democratic unwillingness to put forth and defend a budget blueprint.
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Comments
That figures . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 5:14pm.
. . . who but Democrats would celebrate Christmas three months late?
But then, Harry Reid hasn't addressed the Federal budget in over a thousand days, and that will be his little gift to the GOP.
When the Republican candidate debates Obama, he can point to Reid's neglect of his Senatorial duties and ask the President, "Why haven't you forced Reid to do his job?"
We'll see whether the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare this summer delivers the Republicans a gift from the Dems.
Well, they really aren't known for their quick wits
Submitted by Willis_Leon_Johnson on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 1:16am.
and brilliant uptakes on new and novel ideas like passing a budget.
Perhaps we can convince them that this years election will be held over 2 months.
The republicans vote in November and, due to the number of expected voters this year, the rest of November will be tied up counting their votes (wink wink, nod nod)
The the democrats will vote in December when the election results will be announced in time for Christmas.
(Of course the republicans will not be told of this second voting date so democrats, their dead friends and relatives can vote repeatedly because there will be no witnesses....)
End 'gun violence in America' - Require training and MANDATORY "Shall Carry" by every Citizen.
If harry reid is the best person to lead the senate, what does that say about the other 99 senators?
Leaving aside the fact that this is MSNBC
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 5:58pm.
and there is clearly no objectivity on that network, I'd like to hear why Obama's proposed budget is better than Ryan's proposed budget. We already know both are better than the Reid proposed budget, so any comment from Senate democrats should be met with immediate scorn by all parties.
I saw a piece in WaPo today in which Chris Cizzilla and some other reporter try to make the claim that Republicans are not happy with Ryan for even putting forth a budget. He offers but one quote from a former Senate staffer (Senator unnamed) indicating a budget with details could be problematic if democrats are able to frame it before repubs, but no one else to back up his claim. WaPo even says that not offering a budget would be pragmatic -or cynical, depending on your point of view. Pragmatic! Can you believe he used that word to describe doing nothing?
Anyway, I've started putting together a list of questions I would ask President Obama if I were able to interview him. Sooner or later, someone in the media is going to draw the short straw and have to ask him something of substance, but he's still not likely to have to answer anything especially uncomfortable. His townhalls will be stacked, his one-on-one interviews will be pre-submitted and agreed-to questions only. Even if he consents to a debate during the general campaign, it'll only be with Obama-friendly moderators. So I've got my list of questions going just in case the public is ever offered an opportunity to question him.
I'm considering starting a forum here so the question list can grow with your help. If I get any interest in this thread, I'll get a forum thread going. Let me know...
So tell me Alex
Submitted by LinTaylor on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 7:24pm.
Where's the Democrats' budget proposal?
it is still on the bathroom
Submitted by jkwtrading on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 8:35pm.
it is still on the bathroom wall.. next to the con dom dispenser...
Did they mention the news about Apple?
Submitted by Radical1979 on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 8:49pm.
They're keeping money offshore till those corporate rates go down. They can't keep innovating without the capital to do it, but wait, Obama will start funding their new investments...
Meanwhile the Demoncrat
Submitted by Free Stinker on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 10:12pm.
Meanwhile the Demoncrat Senate has passed no budget in over 3 years . . .
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
Any mention of how suicidal
Submitted by ant on Tue, 03/20/2012 - 11:50pm.
Any mention of how suicidal it is for the Dims to use irresponsible handling of the People's finances and an actual budget, which they have been unable to accomplish, as a political tool to hammer the opposition as a 'Christmas celebration'. BTW, does this 'Christmas in March' mean dems will now take a 3 month vacation?
Wagner
Submitted by east tennessee john on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 10:41am.
Christmas? You mean the one we celebrte the birth of Christ, the Savior they don't believe in? What gall. Also, what have the demoncrats put out there to compare the Ryan budget to? Do they honestly believe an electoral majority of us are going to compare Ryan to nothing and have, given the financial condition of this country, nothing win? Wagner is nothing more than a shill and a not to well informed one at that, but isn't that typical of msdnc/media matters tv/
My rock garden
Submitted by fivestring_assassin on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 3:27pm.
is smarter than Alex Wagner