Demonstrators descended on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, demanding that Republican lawmakers who voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act hear their concerns about the legislation. (Photo: @riseandresistny/Twitter)
'Tax the Rich, Not the Sick!': Hundreds Storm Capitol Hill Offices to Denounce GOP Tax Bill
Outraged demonstrators arrested outside of Republican lawmakers' offices as House and Senate prepare #GOPTaxScam for conference committee
Opponents of the Republican tax plan moving through Congress showed they were not backing down on Tuesday as hundreds of protesters chanted "Kill the bill!" and "Tax the rich, not the sick!" as they assembled outside the offices of GOP lawmakers.
While numerous arrests were made in the crowded hallways, the demonstrators made it clear that the fight to defeat the bill is not over yet.
Demonstrators targeted Reps. Ryan Costello (R-Penn.), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), and other Republicans who voted for the tax plan, visiting their offices and telling staffers how they would be impacted by the law. Both Costello and Comstock are up for re-election in 2018.
Capitol Police began arresting protesters at about 2:30pm outside Costello's office, with chants of "Kill the bill, Costello!" continuing as people were led away in handcuffs.
The Senate passed its bill in the middle of the night on Saturday, after finalizing the proposal just five hours earlier. Democrats protested that no hearings had been held about the potential impact of the bill, which a number of bipartisan groups found would raise taxes on middle-class families by 2027. A Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday found that 53 percent of Americans disapprove of the legislation, while just 29 percent support it.
The Senate and House must still reconcile their two versions of the bill in a conference committee which was formed on Monday. Nine Republicans and five Democrats from the House have been named to the panel, with the Senate expected to send members later this week. The committee will debate the two bills with the goal of sending one piece of legislation to President Donald Trump's desk by Christmas.
With continued pressure in the coming days and weeks, said opponents of the #GOPTaxscam on social media, there is still a chance of keeping the bill from becoming law:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Opponents of the Republican tax plan moving through Congress showed they were not backing down on Tuesday as hundreds of protesters chanted "Kill the bill!" and "Tax the rich, not the sick!" as they assembled outside the offices of GOP lawmakers.
While numerous arrests were made in the crowded hallways, the demonstrators made it clear that the fight to defeat the bill is not over yet.
Demonstrators targeted Reps. Ryan Costello (R-Penn.), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), and other Republicans who voted for the tax plan, visiting their offices and telling staffers how they would be impacted by the law. Both Costello and Comstock are up for re-election in 2018.
Capitol Police began arresting protesters at about 2:30pm outside Costello's office, with chants of "Kill the bill, Costello!" continuing as people were led away in handcuffs.
The Senate passed its bill in the middle of the night on Saturday, after finalizing the proposal just five hours earlier. Democrats protested that no hearings had been held about the potential impact of the bill, which a number of bipartisan groups found would raise taxes on middle-class families by 2027. A Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday found that 53 percent of Americans disapprove of the legislation, while just 29 percent support it.
The Senate and House must still reconcile their two versions of the bill in a conference committee which was formed on Monday. Nine Republicans and five Democrats from the House have been named to the panel, with the Senate expected to send members later this week. The committee will debate the two bills with the goal of sending one piece of legislation to President Donald Trump's desk by Christmas.
With continued pressure in the coming days and weeks, said opponents of the #GOPTaxscam on social media, there is still a chance of keeping the bill from becoming law:
Opponents of the Republican tax plan moving through Congress showed they were not backing down on Tuesday as hundreds of protesters chanted "Kill the bill!" and "Tax the rich, not the sick!" as they assembled outside the offices of GOP lawmakers.
While numerous arrests were made in the crowded hallways, the demonstrators made it clear that the fight to defeat the bill is not over yet.
Demonstrators targeted Reps. Ryan Costello (R-Penn.), Barbara Comstock (R-Va.), and other Republicans who voted for the tax plan, visiting their offices and telling staffers how they would be impacted by the law. Both Costello and Comstock are up for re-election in 2018.
Capitol Police began arresting protesters at about 2:30pm outside Costello's office, with chants of "Kill the bill, Costello!" continuing as people were led away in handcuffs.
The Senate passed its bill in the middle of the night on Saturday, after finalizing the proposal just five hours earlier. Democrats protested that no hearings had been held about the potential impact of the bill, which a number of bipartisan groups found would raise taxes on middle-class families by 2027. A Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday found that 53 percent of Americans disapprove of the legislation, while just 29 percent support it.
The Senate and House must still reconcile their two versions of the bill in a conference committee which was formed on Monday. Nine Republicans and five Democrats from the House have been named to the panel, with the Senate expected to send members later this week. The committee will debate the two bills with the goal of sending one piece of legislation to President Donald Trump's desk by Christmas.
With continued pressure in the coming days and weeks, said opponents of the #GOPTaxscam on social media, there is still a chance of keeping the bill from becoming law: