ATF Launches New Campaign Showing The True Costs Of Trump's Tax Cuts For The Wealthy And Corporations

WASHINGTON - Americans for Tax Fairness, a coalition of 425 endorsing groups united in support of a fair tax system, is launching a new campaign against Donald Trump's and Congressional Republicans' plans to slash taxes for the wealthy and corporations, which will threaten deep cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public education and many more critical services.

The online hub of the campaign is www.StopTrumpTaxCuts.org, where visitors can see how Trump’s proposed tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations would seriously harm working families.  

For example:

• The $1.9 trillion in proposed cuts to Medicaid and other healthcare services in Trump's budget is similar in size to the $1.4 trillion to $2 trillion business tax cut Trump is proposing, which would benefit hedge fund managers and real estate developers like Trump.
• The $193 billion in cuts to nutrition assistance in the Trump budget is similar to the revenue lost from Trump's elimination of the tax on estates worth more than $5.5 million, which would cost $240 billion.
• A $72 billion cut in services for people with disabilities will pay for half of Trump's $150 billion tax cut on investment income for the wealthy.  

The overall size of Trump’s proposed budget cuts, $4.3 trillion, is remarkably similar to the cost of the tax cuts that Trump is proposing – between $3.5 trillion and $4.8 trillion. It's almost as if Trump had planned it that way!

"We can't afford tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that are paid for by cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, public education and other services that working families rely on," said Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. "Side-by-side, there's no denying it: Trump's draconian cuts to services that will harm working families are intended to pay for his massive tax giveaways to big corporations and the wealthy. Helping the American people understand what’s at stake is how we will win the tax fight."

StopTrumpTaxCuts.org is an unbranded campaign hub that will provide resources for the public and allied groups in their fight against Trump's tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. It will include materials for organizers to use at protests, rallies, and town halls and provide regular updates on grassroots events and highlights from those events. ATF is coordinating a broad coalition of organizations mobilizing in Washington, D.C. and at the grassroots to oppose Trump’s tax giveaways.

Quotes from some of those coalition partners follow:

American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, Lee Saunders, International President: “We need a budget and tax policy that lifts up working people, not one that weakens vital services like Medicaid and Medicare, all to pay for massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. President Trump and Members of Congress were elected to serve working people - people like nurses, firefighters, police officers and teachers who keep our communities healthy, safe and strong. We should put their priorities first, not the privileged and powerful.”

AFL-CIO, William Samuel, Government Affairs Director: “President Trump and Republicans in Congress want us to believe our country is broke and we have no choice but to demand sacrifices from working people, but they want to waste trillions of dollars on tax giveaways for the wealthy and big corporations that send jobs offshore. We need a different approach that invests in good-paying jobs for working people in America and eliminates all tax incentives for corporations to send jobs offshore and stash their profits overseas.”

Center for American Progress, Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President:  “The American people won’t be taken in by this scam again. They know from experience under the Bush era that tax cuts for millionaires and corporations will not benefit the U.S. economy, jobs, or the middle class. It’s frankly offensive that the Trump administration and Congressional Republican leaders continue to push this myth at a time when economic inequality and corporate profits are at historically high levels. Corporations and the wealthy already don’t pay their fair share, and giving them even more tax cuts would further threaten our health care, housing, transportation and schools.”

Coalition on Human Needs, Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director: “First, Trump tried to repeal health care for millions to pay for tax cuts for the rich and drug and insurance companies. Americans rejected that, but now Trump is back with something even worse: trillions in tax cuts for corporations and the rich paid for by taking away health care, food, housing, education, job training, and many other vital services from millions of Americans. Don’t be fooled: this is a plan to make America weaker, poorer, and sicker, so the rich can get richer.”  

Daily Kos, Mara Schechter, Campaign Director: “The massive tax cuts for the top 1% and big corporations that Trump and Paul Ryan are proposing are an assault on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and so much more. Just as we did in opposing the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, Daily Kos will mobilize our millions of online supporters against this unprecedented transfer of wealth from working families to the wealthy few.”

Economic Policy Institute, Larry Mishel, President: “President Trump and Republican leaders in Congress will try to sell their tax cuts for the rich and wealthy corporations as a magic elixir that will create jobs and grow the economy. But they will generate neither economic nor wage growth for the vast majority. Corporate profits are already near record highs and corporate taxes as a share of the economy at record lows. It's time they paid their fair share.”

Indivisible Project, Angel Padilla, Policy Director: “Republicans think they can trick the American people into supporting their massive tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations by calling it 'tax reform' and using the vaguest terms possible to talk about what they're doing," said. "We know their game: this is nothing but a plan to cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations paid for by taking away Medicaid, Medicare, and other basic services. The American people didn't support tax cuts for the rich when they were in the Republican health care bill and they don't support them through this 'tax reform' charade either.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Vanita Gupta, President and CEO: "StopTrumpTaxCuts.org will highlight who will benefit from the Trump tax cuts— millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations—and who will be hurt, which is the rest of us. By slashing assistance to the most vulnerable and by cutting crucial programs like Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicaid, and food assistance, Trump will subsidize his tax cuts. This website should help everyone see clearly what is at stake for them and their families in this tax and budget fight and what they can do to make their voices heard.”

Mom’sRising.org, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and Executive Director: “President Trump’s plan to slash taxes on the wealthy and corporations would be a disaster for the country. It would wreak havoc on our economy and punish families that are already struggling to get by, redistributing wealth in ways that perpetuate and deepen inequities. This is not the right direction for our country. We need a plan that boosts our economy by investing in working families and strengthening programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, while at the same time investing in programs that boost health care, education, nutrition and safety. The Trump plan would threaten the wellbeing of women, communities of color, families, people who live in rural areas, and all those who struggle financially. Its enactment would create a crisis for our nation.”

National Women’s Law Center, Anna Chu, Vice President for Income Security and Education: “Millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations certainly don’t need any more tax breaks. But that’s exactly what the administration proposes. Instead, we must invest in women and families, work to secure higher wages that will put more money in the pockets of families, expand access to affordable health care, and provide services that are critical supports for people in need. Trump’s misguided tax giveaway for the rich and corporations is the last thing America needs.”