Resist TrumpTaxScam – Week of Oct 23rd

The budget resolution aka TrumpTaxScam has passed the House and Senate and now goes into conference. It will then come up for a final vote in both houses. We still have time to pressure John Faso as follows:

Sample script [edited from the IndivisibleGuide]:

Caller: I’m calling to let Congressman Faso know that I am extremely disappointed that he voted in favor of the budget resolution that fast tracks the Trump Tax Scam.

Staffer: The Congressman thinks now is the time for tax reform so that we can unleash new economic growth, and passing the budget resolution is a critical part of that.

Caller: I agree with you that the tax code isn’t perfect. But what Donald Trump and the Republicans have proposed is not tax reform: it’s tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. In New York State, 58% of the tax cuts goes to millionaires even if they only make up 0.6% of the population [and average tax cut of $269,000 per millionaire of 5.6% of their income].   Meanwhile the 44.8% of New Yorkers that make less than $45,000 would only get 3.6% of the total tax cut [and average of $210 per person or 0.9% of their income].

I expect Congressman Faso to vote against any tax bill that gives one penny in tax cuts to the 1% or corporations that the middle class will have to pick up the tab for down the road.

Staffer: The plan isn’t finalized yet, it’s still being drafted so we don’t know yet exactly what will be included. But the Congressman thinks we need tax reform to jumpstart the economy. Right now, we have the highest corporate tax rate in the whole world!

Caller: That’s not true. The amount corporations actually pay is much lower than what they’re supposed to pay. Their effective tax rate, according to the Government Accountability Office, is only 14%. That rate is in line with or lower than the rest of the world, and there’s no evidence that the tax rate hurts U.S. competitiveness. I wan Congressman Faso to hold corporations accountable for paying their fair share, not let them off the hook.

Staffer: Well the Congressman thinks we need to close the special interest loopholes and make our tax code simpler. Our tax code is 2,600 pages long and most Americans need help just to file a simple tax return. If we pass tax reform, filing taxes could be as easy as filling out a postcard.

Caller: I agree that there are too many loopholes in the tax code that the wealthy and corporations exploit to get away with paying less than their fair share. But the postcard idea doesn’t work, and if by simplifying the tax code you mean consolidating brackets, then I’m opposed to that. That is an idea that only benefits the rich. Congressman Faso needs to oppose the Trump Tax Scam because it doesn’t really help the middle class—just the rich, corporations, and Donald Trump himself.

Staffer: I’ll pass your thoughts along to the Congressman / Senator.

Caller: Yes please do, and please take down my contact information so you can let me know what the Congressman  decides to do.

https://www.trumptaxscam.org/