After tax bill vote, Donald Trump opens his mouth about it and belatedly puts the bill in jeopardy
Late on Friday night, after most Americans had gone to bed, the Republican Senate rammed through a hastily written and criminally corrupt piece of tax legislation which steals from the working class and gives it all to the wealthy. There are now only a few small steps required to sign the travesty into law. But for reasons known only to him, Donald Trump opened his mouth about the tax bill on Saturday and he may have put the legislation in jeopardy.
There was such widespread backlash against the bill’s passage on Saturday, including some pushback from Trump’s own supporters, he ended up publicly waffling in his own support for it. Trump now says that the corporate tax rate should be two points higher than what the Senate bill dictates, according to a Washington Post article (link). It’s not clear what Trump is trying to do here, but he’s suddenly making a mess for his own side.
Trump may be publicly disagreeing with the bill simply so he can blame the Republicans in Congress for it when he signs it. Even if so, his public pushback against the bill gives renewed ammunition to those among the public who oppose it. It allows the public to place new pressure on the Republican Congress, even as it attempts to reconcile the House and Senate versions. There also may be another factor at play here.
Now that Michael Flynn has cut a plea deal against him, a series of dominoes has been set off which will result in Donald Trump no longer being tenable in office. The Republican Party was willing to prop Trump up long enough to pass its tax scam. But the minute Trump signs the bill, the GOP will no longer have any use for him, and might even oust him in the hope of improving its odds in the midterm elections. Has Trump somehow figured out that once he signs the bill, he’s toast? Is he now trying to drag it out on purpose? Stay tuned.
