John Barrasso Tears Into Democrats' 'Condescending Liberal Attitude', Claims They Are 'Out Of Touch'

Forbes Breaking News

During remarks on the Senate floor Thursday, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) spoke about Democratic opposition to to making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 permanent.  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript   Stay Connected Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00Mr. President, I just listened to my colleague from Kansas and just how commendable the example

00:10that he has set to go and visit absolutely every one of the single hospitals in the state

00:13of Kansas.

00:14That's an example for all of us to get out and talk to our constituents, listen to what

00:19they have to say, and the senior senator for Kansas has, I think, set an example for all

00:25of us.

00:26He visits every county in his state repeatedly, yearly, and it's a model for all.

00:31So I'm so happy to hear him address these issues in this body this morning.

00:36Mr. President, I also heard the speaker speak, who was the senator from New York, Senator

00:41Schumer, and what I heard him do is something different.

00:44What he did is he mischaracterized a budget term called the current policy baseline.

00:51First and foremost, the Budget Committee has consulted with the Senate parliamentarian

00:55on the substitute amendment that we are bringing to the Senate today.

01:00The parliamentarian has deemed it appropriate for consideration under the Congressional

01:05Budget Act.

01:07Budget Act was also clear.

01:09The Budget Committee chairman decides the baseline.

01:12I served in this body when it was the Democrats arguing in favor of the current policy baseline.

01:20That was in 2013, when President Barack Obama was in the White House, and the Obama administration

01:27and the Senate Democrat majority at the time argued that a current policy baseline was

01:32quote, the appropriate reference point when it extended existing tax policy.

01:40Senate Republicans are simply following the law and the standard that the Obama administration

01:47wanted followed in 2013.

01:50Current policy baseline is how we make the tax cuts permanent.

01:53It is how we stop a $4 trillion tax increase, a tax increase supported unanimously by today's

02:02Senate Democrats.

02:04Because for the Senate Democrats, their favorite day is coming soon, tax day, April 15th.

02:12And millions of Americans today are filling out their tax forms.

02:15People are going to spend time this weekend trying to get it right.

02:20And as they do, I ask myself and wonder if these people that are working so hard at home,

02:23hardworking people, earning money and having to fill out their tax forms, if they realize

02:27that Democrats right here in the United States Senate want to raise those taxes by a cumulative

02:33number of $4 trillion.

02:35Look, a $4 trillion tax increase on American families would be devastating.

02:42Senate Republicans are fighting against it.

02:46Republicans want to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent.

02:51We want to reverse the Democrat failures of the past four years.

02:55We're focusing on getting America back on track.

03:01Let's look at the tax cuts that occurred a number of years ago.

03:04Tax reform restored fairness and simplicity to the tax code.

03:08Americans are better off because of it.

03:10It's one of the things that resulted in the best economic times of my life.

03:15Within two years of passing the tax cuts, the United States added millions and millions

03:20of new jobs.

03:22Unemployment fell dramatically to its lowest point in 50 years.

03:26Many businesses grew, invested.

03:29Most importantly, most importantly, hardworking Americans had more money in their pockets

03:33to spend.

03:36In Wyoming, I heard of one local business owner who used the tax cuts to give his employees

03:40a raise.

03:41He also expanded his business.

03:43More jobs, more economic opportunities for people in his part of the state of Wyoming.

03:49This is what happens when Washington taxes less and taxpayers get to keep more of their

03:54hard-earned money.

03:55It's good for families.

03:56It's good for businesses.

03:57It is good for our nation.

04:00In Wyoming and across the country, millions and millions of workers were benefited from

04:04the higher pay, the bigger bonuses, and the best opportunities that come from lower taxes.

04:11By making these tax cuts permanent, businesses and families will get the stability and the

04:17certainty that they need in order to thrive.

04:21Like 90% of Americans saw their taxes go down because of tax reform.

04:26It would be disastrous for the tax-and-spend Senate Democrats, those who brought us the

04:32highest inflation in our lifetime, if they were to choke off the chance for Americans

04:37to keep more of their hard-earned money.

04:41American families would see their taxes go up if the Democrats get their way.

04:4420 million businesses would see their taxes go up if Democrats get their way.

04:496 million jobs and $540 billion in wages could be erased if Democrats get their way.

04:56In all, families, workers, and job creators are facing a $4 trillion tax increase.

05:02When Republicans passed this Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, she was Speaker

05:08of the House at the time, of California, famously dismissed the savings and the bonuses and

05:13the benefits.

05:14She said that these wins for workers, she described them as crumbs.

05:20Democrats continue to dismiss the burden of higher taxes.

05:24Listen to what Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said.

05:27She said cutting taxes was nothing more than tossing a few crumbs at the American people.

05:34Listen to what Senator Cory Gardner of New Jersey said.

05:39He blamed workers who received bonuses from tax reform for what he said, driving up the debt.

05:46Don't recall him saying that in his last 25 hours on the floor of the Senate.

05:52Democrats are out of touch with America's families.

05:55That's what's happening here.

05:56It's been proven by the results of the November election, and their condescending liberal

06:01attitude is a threat to the American dream.

06:04They just think they know better than everybody else.

06:07It's wrong for Democrats to force hardworking taxpayers to pay for wasteful Washington spending.

06:14But fortunately for the hardworking taxpayer of this country, President Trump is in the

06:18White House, Senate Republicans are in the majority, and common sense is coming to Washington.

06:24Senate Republicans are going to continue to put an end to this wasteful Washington spending

06:28because we stand with American workers, with the job creators, and with the small businesses

06:34of this country.

06:36Hardworking taxpayers are soon going to see where each and every senator stands.

06:42Thank you, Mr. President.

06:43I yield the floor.

Category

Transcript

Recommended