Scoop: Trump wants to do tax reform and infrastructure at the same time

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

The Trump administration is looking at driving tax reform and infrastructure concurrently, according to a White House source with direct knowledge.

It's a major strategic shift - infrastructure was likely going to be parked until next year - and is only possible because of last week's healthcare debacle.

President Trump feels burned by the ultra conservative House Freedom Caucus and is ready to deal with Democrats. Dangling infrastructure spending is an obvious way to buy the support of potentially dozens of Dems, meaning he wouldn't have to bargain with the hardliners.

Bill Shuster, the guy who would steer Trump's infrastructure package through the House, tells me he's optimistic Trump could get it done this year.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-wants-tax-reform-infrastructure-at-same-time-2332543336.html

[elleng]

1. Good luck with that!

They've both been 'parked' for years.

[Cosmocat]

20. lol

That was my first good chuckle fot he day when I read that ...

IMO, they could get the tax bill done in an hour. if there is one thing that even this currently fractured version of the republican party all agree on, it is making the max tithe to their masters and greasing wealth redistribution.

However, the infrastructure boon doggle is going to be as messy as AHCA was.

[jpak]

23. Beat me to it

[radical noodle]

2. I think that's because he

wants big tax breaks for contractors etc to get the infrastructure jobs. I think he'll have trouble with it.

[C_U_L8R]

3. Going for a two-fer, Trumpie??

Seems you enjoy bellyflopping.

[LakeArenal]

4. How long before we hear:

Who would have thought tax reform and Infrastructure could be so complex?

[Freethinker65]

5. Please proceed. Doesn't sound too hard

[Dustlawyer]

6. Trump's play at spending money and doing something popular.

Only with Trump and the Republicans, it will be an open crime scene! Another reward to buddy's and a back door to themselves getting a taste.

Another benefit in running both bills at the same time would be overloading the media like he does with tweets and outlandish statements. There is so much continual crap they move to the next POS without ever investigating and resolving the last thing.

[cstanleytech]

7. The Democrats should oppose any tax cuts until the infrastructure has been dealt with first as

I dont trust Trump or any Repugnants promises to actually do something about it so until its done just say no to "any" tax cuts for the wealthy.
Now after thats done I am willing to discuss tax cuts as well as defense cuts as there is no reason we should be spending more than the other top 5 spenders combined spend on defense.

[pecosbob]

8. Voting for infrastructure spending

would violate their ideological integrity. Their platform is to tear down bridges, not build them.

Lol...I wonder if he'll bum-pay the contractors like he always does.

[notdarkyet]

15. They want to give the money to money classes to build the projects which they

Will then own and charge us to use. Roads, bridges, the taking over public lands for private ownership. Everything I've read about the tax cuts and infrastructure plans describe them as boondoggles. (My word)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Tax reform is at least as complicated as health care; it hasn't been done

in decades, and that's a reason for that. Apparently he hasn't learned a thing from last week's debacle.

[Sgent]

11. Depends on what you mean by reform

there were some major changes in brackets / rates under both Bush 43 and Obama; however, HOW taxes are computed (vs the rate) hasn't changed since 1986. Before that it was 1954.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. I was thinking of the 1986 changes, which were pretty major, structurally.

[Demsrule86]

21. Ryan's plan give tax breaks to the top 98% and actually makes some middle class Americans

pay more...and the poor will pay more too...He is the biggest piece of shit ever...pope should refuse to allow him to take communion.

[marybourg]

10. So he can take

the next 3 years off.

[bucolic_frolic]

13. Too many moving pieces, too many slithery advisers, too uncertain

He hasn't the slightest idea what is going on

[NYC Democrat]

14. Wait a second? Wouldn't this completely break the Rs plans to do the Tax stuff via Reconcilation?

I cannot imagine a Bill that is both full of Infrastructure spending/tax incentives AND general taxcuts EVER being revenue neutral... which it would have to be if it wants to be a permenant law passed Via Reconcilation, otherwise it'd have a 10 year period before an automatic phase out.

What the hell is their plan here?

[jmowreader]

16. Ah-ha...I get it

He's going to cut taxes and increase spending at the same time. I thought Republicans were supposed to be the fiscally responsible party.

[TeamPooka]

17. So 17 days divided by 2 equals 8.5 days of work, then quitting. nt

[Demsrule86]

22. We still have sequester so a big chunk of defense spending will be cut this year

if they can't reach agreement. And Ryan will need help to raise the debt ceiling too. And if they think military spending will be increased and sequester ended for military spending but sequester will continue for all other spending...I have a bridge they may want to buy...but they should check and make sure it won't fall down...after their irresponsibility to ignore infrastructure for eight years...they can kiss my derriere.

[truthisfreedom]

18. How many rounds of golf will that take, fat ass?

[Sunlei]

19. Infrastructure & jobs! President Obama has plenty of bills ready for Mr. Trump to plagiarize.

Ask Congress Mr. Trump, they have a whole stack of infrastructure & jobs bills they've blocked for 8 years.

[Adrahil]

24. These asshats really are in over their heads....

... and they have no idea WTF they are doing.