LEE KRAMER'S ROOM: With Views

[blackhawks]

You Guys Can't Imagine How Stupid Rick Scott Actually Is

https://crooksandliars.com/2022/02/you-guys-cant-imagine-how-stupid-rick

Rick Scott thinks he's proposing a new "contract with America," but his "plan" raises taxes on middle-class retirees. REALLY.
By Frances Langum — February 23, 2022

Rick Scott is so stupid he doesn't even know when he has committed political suicide.

It's a little late for Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) to pretend he *didn't* propose tax increases on tens of millions of lower-income Americans. He literally put it in writing. https://t.co/uz99i2TE2E

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen) February 23, 2022

Rick Scott's "plan," which insists that everyone should have "skin in the game" of federal spending by paying federal income tax.

Thing is, many Americans, including retirees and students, don't make enough money to pay federal INCOME tax, but they do pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes.

Whatever happened to the Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Party?

Lawrence O'Donnell explained on Tuesday night's Last Word: "One of the problems of putting really rich guys in charge of public policy is that generally they don't know anything about it and this is proof of it.

Rick Scott has never seen a paycheck, and so he doesn't understand that the people he thinks are not paying federal taxes are paying withholding: payroll taxes every week in their paychecks. And in fact, two-thirds, two-thirds of American taxpayers pay more in payroll taxes than they do in federal income taxes, and Rick Scott wants to push up their federal income taxes!"

Jennifer Rubin was flabbergasted. "You know, as a former Republican, I'm sort of appalled at the political stupidity of this. My gosh," she said.

JENNIFER RUBIN: There is nothing in there that speaks to any kind of cost control, drugs, health care. There is nothing in there about educating children, pre-k, universal pre-k, about any kind of education plan.

There is nothing in there that actually helps Americans. And this is very telling. Because the Republican Party is no longer in the business of helping Americans, or even trying to. It is a grievance club. It is a machine that creates content for Fox News. And that's what this thing is.

It's sort of throws every buzzword, every phrase up against the wall and sees it sticks. Whether it's "CRT", whether it's books, whether it's abortion, whether it's the wall, and they just think that this is going to buy enough votes for them.

Now, the problem is this what they're saying is really pretty unpopular. There is a new poll out today from CBS/YouGov, which everyone should look a look at, which shows Americans overwhelmingly do not want to ban books. Americans overwhelmingly want race to be taught in their schools, Americans overwhelmingly think race is an issue. And even more, they think it is a historical issue. Americans are not as dumb as Republicans think they are.

And putting this all out there gives Democrats what they have been looking for. They don't want this to be a referendum, things go wrong when you are in power. And things happen that are beyond their control, like inflation. But if you make this a choice between the guys who are really trying their hardest, and made a lot of progress, and the guys who live off in cuckoo land and want to raise your taxes? That's an election that Democrats could actually win. That's why Rick Scott has some sort of, given hope to Democrats that maybe they can pull a rabbit out of the hat for this election.

"My opponent wants to ban books" seems to be one of the easiest and truest attacks you can make on just about any Republican candidate alive. https://t.co/bcZKB0x3hl

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) February 23, 2022

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216390394