I was at a meeting yesterday with the 2 Congressman that share my County. I suggested the following and then texted this to my US Senator. It's good to see other Democratic leaders thinking the same way. Note, I went "light" on the amount to make it more palatable, although the Republicans will not support any amount.
Trump Tariff reparations tax credit
Propose a refundable tax credit for every household with adjusted gross income below a specific amount (e.g., $250,000 filing jointly). Reports say that Trump's tariffs cost the average home about $1,000. Make the tax credit between $500 and $1,000.
Let Trump and the Republicans argue against the tax credit. The discussion right now is whether businesses can get back their tariff payments. But the analysis says that 95% of the tariff costs were passed on to consumers. The businesses are not returning customers' inflated costs to them, so why should they keep the money?
Tariffs are a Republican tax on the working class. Pound that message and propose a Tariff reparations tax credit.
If every American family receives a $1300 check during Trump's presidency, the checks will have Trump’s signature and he will announce that the money came from foreign countries because of the tariffs. People will vote for the thieves for the rest of their lives.
I get your point completely. The general public loves money in the mail....However, as a country we have been hoodwinked by the tariffs/consumer taxes imposed on us. The mad king only seeks out "simple" ways in which to fleece Americans. Now businesses must demand refunds. Howard Buttlick(slimy cheerleader in a suit) has to work for his pay and investigate the new proposed tariff rule that is more complex and nuanced. Government is complicated and hard work. Knee jerk executive orders aren't government policy.... Corruption is not a government policy either. Time to flush it out!!
Seems like a legitimate concern. I think Pritzger is on the right track. If Dems were to file a class action suit of sorts and keep the details real simple—Trump and the Rs have taxed you unfairly with the tariffs which were illegal and they are refusing to repay the tariff fees to the businesses and are refusing to pay the American people back as well, Trump promised to end inflation on Day One and has been stealing from us instead, so let’s sue them for the money. If it’s designated as restitution, then let that sonofabitch put his stupid signature on the checks.
I often wonder how different the polling would be if companies like Amazon hadn't been strong-armed out of listing the cost of the tariffs as a line item at checkout. I wonder if these States could have a bigger impact by passing legislation that encourages/requires that practice.
If we want tariff money as an election issue, then the last thing we want is Trump returning tariff money to consumers before the midterms. Because you know he’ll sign the checks. It gives him an advantage with voters who appreciate the money and dismiss all the noise about how they got it.
So our Dem elected officials need to keep up a drumbeat that’s very direct: return the stolen money. Public and loud and designed to get under his skin. Of course he’ll refuse. He doesn’t knuckle under.
I don’t understand the refusal of the administration to return tariff receipts. Earlier Trump promised to send $2000 checks to every household. Why doesn’t he simply return tariff money that way, and claim he fulfilled his promise?
Did you mean least, not last? I never care if there are mistakes in the mb and am not trying to correct you like some (I have to write a lot too and when tired or moving fast it’s just part of life) — in this case I just want to understand. Thx.
What has happened to the $170 billion in tariff revenue collected over the past year? It is .4 percent of our $38.74 trillion in national debt. If all the Trump tariff revenue were applied to the national debt, would that make a dent in U.S. financial stability? I would rather see some accountability to the looming fiscal cliff rather than what would be a costly program to return it to Americans.
Dan: Thank you very much for your response to my post about the Endangerment Finding repeal. I look forward to a deeper dive here and on Pod Save America on how to make climate action a winning, not a losing and/or non-issue in November and '28. I agree with many of the commenters that the economic benefits of climate action are where the seeds of the "climate comeback" -- the term we use at EcoAthletes (https://ecoathletes.org), the nonprofit I founded six years ago with the mission to "inspire and coach athletes to lead climate action" -- needs to begin. The jobs angle should be hammered, including in purple districts and red states ("Dems helped y'all build a renewables industry that led to manufacturing and high wage job growth, then Trump and Co. made a dumb play call, by deciding to cede leadership on clean energy, etc. to China") and you could have something. One related messaging point that I think is worth exploring goes something like this: "For the last 200 years, including through our time, the USA has owned the future. Now, MADA (Make America Dumb Again), by trying to take us back to the 1950s on energy, is basically saying 'hey, China...here is ownership of the future, you can have it." What do you think? Any data you can offer will be appreciated.
Also, on my Nova Knicks question, I knew that you are a Sixers fan, figured you might be a Nova supporter as well and thought you might have mixed feelings on the whole thing. I did not know you're a Georgetown guy. Given that fact, I retract the question. What's your take on Ed Cooley? BTW I'm a Rutgers guy; we're a mess. I mean not making the NCAA Tournament when you have two Top 6 draft picks is really hard to do. Very Rutgers-y. BTW #2: Your old boss's 2016 commencement address at Rutgers is one of his greatest speeches of any type IMHO. RU RAH RAH!
At a recent discussion about the tariffs a lawyer who's argued before the Supreme Court and an economist with an investment firm whose specialty is business economics and taxes, both say the logistics/practicality of returning money to taxpayers is so complicated as to be impossible.
That's not to say Democrats shouldn't hammer home that citizens lost money due to the tariffs, or that SCOTUS could have stopped the tariff collection 6 months ago if they'd held with the injunction put in place by the lower courts.
In this case we're better off highlighting the Trumpian mismanagement than claiming there's a fix when one ain't never gonna happen.
Forgive a minor digression...Dan's point well made. I have 2 small (tiny) businesses. One imports from China and the other Europe...so I am feeling it. At the moment his 15% tantrum tariff is not official. The emergency tariffs terminate midnight on the 24th. The 10% universal goes into effect midnight on the 24th. Today. Small thing...and I am assuming he'll yell at someone for not making the 15% official yet...I hope they forget personally...I guess invading Iran might distract him for a day or two.
I was at a meeting yesterday with the 2 Congressman that share my County. I suggested the following and then texted this to my US Senator. It's good to see other Democratic leaders thinking the same way. Note, I went "light" on the amount to make it more palatable, although the Republicans will not support any amount.
Trump Tariff reparations tax credit
Propose a refundable tax credit for every household with adjusted gross income below a specific amount (e.g., $250,000 filing jointly). Reports say that Trump's tariffs cost the average home about $1,000. Make the tax credit between $500 and $1,000.
Let Trump and the Republicans argue against the tax credit. The discussion right now is whether businesses can get back their tariff payments. But the analysis says that 95% of the tariff costs were passed on to consumers. The businesses are not returning customers' inflated costs to them, so why should they keep the money?
Tariffs are a Republican tax on the working class. Pound that message and propose a Tariff reparations tax credit.
If every American family receives a $1300 check during Trump's presidency, the checks will have Trump’s signature and he will announce that the money came from foreign countries because of the tariffs. People will vote for the thieves for the rest of their lives.
I get your point completely. The general public loves money in the mail....However, as a country we have been hoodwinked by the tariffs/consumer taxes imposed on us. The mad king only seeks out "simple" ways in which to fleece Americans. Now businesses must demand refunds. Howard Buttlick(slimy cheerleader in a suit) has to work for his pay and investigate the new proposed tariff rule that is more complex and nuanced. Government is complicated and hard work. Knee jerk executive orders aren't government policy.... Corruption is not a government policy either. Time to flush it out!!
Seems like a legitimate concern. I think Pritzger is on the right track. If Dems were to file a class action suit of sorts and keep the details real simple—Trump and the Rs have taxed you unfairly with the tariffs which were illegal and they are refusing to repay the tariff fees to the businesses and are refusing to pay the American people back as well, Trump promised to end inflation on Day One and has been stealing from us instead, so let’s sue them for the money. If it’s designated as restitution, then let that sonofabitch put his stupid signature on the checks.
Class actions and general strikes. What else do we have?
Alas, all too likely. Biden.ruefully joked he should have signed his checks - or was he joking/not joking?
I assume that "last popular" in the second sentence is meant to be "least popular"?
Trumps a con, a lie.
I often wonder how different the polling would be if companies like Amazon hadn't been strong-armed out of listing the cost of the tariffs as a line item at checkout. I wonder if these States could have a bigger impact by passing legislation that encourages/requires that practice.
Bessent is worth ~$600 million, not billion …
If we want tariff money as an election issue, then the last thing we want is Trump returning tariff money to consumers before the midterms. Because you know he’ll sign the checks. It gives him an advantage with voters who appreciate the money and dismiss all the noise about how they got it.
So our Dem elected officials need to keep up a drumbeat that’s very direct: return the stolen money. Public and loud and designed to get under his skin. Of course he’ll refuse. He doesn’t knuckle under.
Then it’s our advantage in the midterms.
SO agree! No checks in the mail. This is all way too big.
Bessant is worth $600 million, not billion, Dan.
Simple. Clear. Personal.
I don’t understand the refusal of the administration to return tariff receipts. Earlier Trump promised to send $2000 checks to every household. Why doesn’t he simply return tariff money that way, and claim he fulfilled his promise?
Did you mean least, not last? I never care if there are mistakes in the mb and am not trying to correct you like some (I have to write a lot too and when tired or moving fast it’s just part of life) — in this case I just want to understand. Thx.
What has happened to the $170 billion in tariff revenue collected over the past year? It is .4 percent of our $38.74 trillion in national debt. If all the Trump tariff revenue were applied to the national debt, would that make a dent in U.S. financial stability? I would rather see some accountability to the looming fiscal cliff rather than what would be a costly program to return it to Americans.
Dan: Thank you very much for your response to my post about the Endangerment Finding repeal. I look forward to a deeper dive here and on Pod Save America on how to make climate action a winning, not a losing and/or non-issue in November and '28. I agree with many of the commenters that the economic benefits of climate action are where the seeds of the "climate comeback" -- the term we use at EcoAthletes (https://ecoathletes.org), the nonprofit I founded six years ago with the mission to "inspire and coach athletes to lead climate action" -- needs to begin. The jobs angle should be hammered, including in purple districts and red states ("Dems helped y'all build a renewables industry that led to manufacturing and high wage job growth, then Trump and Co. made a dumb play call, by deciding to cede leadership on clean energy, etc. to China") and you could have something. One related messaging point that I think is worth exploring goes something like this: "For the last 200 years, including through our time, the USA has owned the future. Now, MADA (Make America Dumb Again), by trying to take us back to the 1950s on energy, is basically saying 'hey, China...here is ownership of the future, you can have it." What do you think? Any data you can offer will be appreciated.
Also, on my Nova Knicks question, I knew that you are a Sixers fan, figured you might be a Nova supporter as well and thought you might have mixed feelings on the whole thing. I did not know you're a Georgetown guy. Given that fact, I retract the question. What's your take on Ed Cooley? BTW I'm a Rutgers guy; we're a mess. I mean not making the NCAA Tournament when you have two Top 6 draft picks is really hard to do. Very Rutgers-y. BTW #2: Your old boss's 2016 commencement address at Rutgers is one of his greatest speeches of any type IMHO. RU RAH RAH!
Fix that typo in the first paragraph, Dan. 😎
At a recent discussion about the tariffs a lawyer who's argued before the Supreme Court and an economist with an investment firm whose specialty is business economics and taxes, both say the logistics/practicality of returning money to taxpayers is so complicated as to be impossible.
That's not to say Democrats shouldn't hammer home that citizens lost money due to the tariffs, or that SCOTUS could have stopped the tariff collection 6 months ago if they'd held with the injunction put in place by the lower courts.
In this case we're better off highlighting the Trumpian mismanagement than claiming there's a fix when one ain't never gonna happen.
Forgive a minor digression...Dan's point well made. I have 2 small (tiny) businesses. One imports from China and the other Europe...so I am feeling it. At the moment his 15% tantrum tariff is not official. The emergency tariffs terminate midnight on the 24th. The 10% universal goes into effect midnight on the 24th. Today. Small thing...and I am assuming he'll yell at someone for not making the 15% official yet...I hope they forget personally...I guess invading Iran might distract him for a day or two.