During ABC’s World News Tonight on Wednesday, the network demonstrated just how well they could stick to the Democratic Party’s talking points. “The biggest tax cuts will go to the wealthy, corporate America,” boldly declared sensationalist anchor David Muir as he was coming on the air. While he was quick to continue the liberal echo chamber, he cast doubt on the Republicans’ promise of economic growth. “But will that happen? Not everyone is convinced,” he chided before handing the report over to Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega.
Vega began her segment on the tax reform victory by sneering at Republicans for being proud of themselves. “Today at the White House, a beaming President Trump greeting a sea of Republicans with a double fist pump,” she said as she seemed disgusted by the praise the GOP and Trump were showering each other with.
The ABC correspondent then parroted the Democratic Party smears of the bill. “The President calls the tax plan a middle-class miracle, designed to deliver tax cuts for all American families. But corporate America gets a much bigger tax cut,” she exclaimed. “And earlier in a cabinet meeting, the President flaunted those tax benefits for big business!” She then played the (somehow) shocking clip of Trump saying the cut was important.
“That cut for corporate America is permanent, but income tax cuts for individuals expire in eight years. And lower-income Americans making $75,000 or less will actually see their taxes go up over the next decade. During that same time, the ultra-rich will see their taxes go down,” Vega fretted, apparently oblivious to the fact that the cuts could be made permanent later with a vote from Congress.
Then came her hyperventilating over the repeal of the ObamaCare insurance mandate. Vega asserted it “means 13 million more Americans could be uninsured over the next decade.” But she failed to mention that that number was driven mostly by people CHOOSING not to buy insurance, not the evil Republicans kicking them off.
As the video portion the segment ended and they were live once again, Muir wanted to know about “one other big question tonight, Cecilia, how much will this cost? Adding more than a trillion to the deficit. The President did not address this today.”
After sharing an out of context quote from Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) about how no one knows what it would add to the deficit, she spat: “Well, nonpartisan congressional budget analysts have a prediction!” She argued that they say it would add $1.5 trillion to the deficit over 10 years, but failed to mention other economic analysts show it pays for itself through the growth of the economy.
ABC only wanted to aid the Democratic Party with their Chicken Little cries of death and destruction at the hands of Republicans. If they wanted to be even the slightest bit honest they would have reported how eight in 10 Americans would receive a tax cut, like NBC Nightly News did that same night.
And it’s clear the network had more of an interest in copying the Democrats because on HLN’s Unfiltered the previous night, host S.E. Cupp fought with California Democrat Ted Lieu for not telling the whole truth either. Cupp noted that “the facts are, according to the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation, middle-income households between 20,000 a year and 100,000 a year are going to get $61 billion in tax cuts in 2019.” None of the networks mentioned that analysis.
Relevant portions of the transcript below:
ABC
World News Tonight
December 20, 2017
6:31:29 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening. And it's great to have you with us here on a Wednesday night. The Christmas travel worries in just a moment. But first, what President Trump tonight calls a major Christmas gift. His first major legislative victory since taking office. Congress today passing the Republican tax bill. The White House calling it a middle class miracle. The President there surrounded by Republicans at the White House today. The biggest tax cuts will go to the wealthy, corporate America and Republicans then argue that that money saved will then be reinvested in jobs, and pay raises for the middle class. But will that happen? Not everyone is convinced, but the President is beaming. The Christmas promise he made is coming true. ABC's Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega, leading us off.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: Today at the White House, a beaming President Trump greeting a sea of Republicans with a double fist pump.
(…)
VEGA: The President calls the tax plan a middle class miracle, designed to deliver tax cuts for all American families. But corporate America gets a much bigger tax cut!
(…)
VEGA: And earlier in a cabinet meeting, the President flaunted those tax benefits for big business!
(…)
VEGA: That cut for corporate America is permanent, but income tax cuts for individuals expire in eight years. And lower income Americans making $75,000 or less will actually see their taxes go up over the next decade. During that same time, the ultra-rich will see their taxes go down.
The bill also repeals the Obamacare mandate that every American buy health insurance, which means 13 million more Americans could be uninsured over the next decade. And if some Americans don't buy health insurance, premiums skyrocket for others. Still, the President touted that end of Obamacare, even though much of it remains in place. He also revealed he urged Republicans to downplay it before the vote.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: Didn’t want Republicans talking about what it would do to health care. Cecilia Vega live at the White House. And one other big question tonight, Cecilia, how much will this cost? Adding more than a trillion to the deficit. The President did not address this today. Speaker Paul Ryan, as you know, Cecilia, who has talked about the deficit for years, was asked whether this plan will create enough growth to then pay for itself to make up for what it adds to the deficit.
VEGA: Yeah, Speaker Ryan said nobody knows how much this will add to the deficit, David, because, quote, “that is in the future.” Well, nonpartisan congressional budget analysts have a prediction! They say this tax plan increases the deficit by nearly one and a half trillion, with a T, David, trillion dollars over the next decade.
