Why Did Trump Propose Cutting Trump’s Taxes

Obviously, he would propose cutting his taxes if he were elected. Also there would be a Republican majority so they would be cut. But why did his campaign announce a huge tax cut proposal ?

Trump is trying to present himself as a populist. The utter absurdity of this effort is at least doubled by the tax plan which would give yoooge tax cuts to the rich.

Very unsurprisingly, Trump claimed otherwise “the very rich are going to end up probably paying more” This is an amazing lie, because the sensible way to deceive people about your plans to cut the taxes of the rich does not include detailed specific public proposals to cut the taxes of the rich.

I think the problem is a double wonk gap. First Republicans in general have great difficulty finding competent experts who are willing to claim to support GOP proposals. There are experts who are very smart and very conservative, but they tend to be pro-market not pro whichever interest group gives the most money to Republican policians.

Compared to the GOP establishment and other candidates, Trump has a terrible time attracting competent experts. This is probably mostly because even total hacks assumed that his support would collapse. It doesn’t help that he declares that Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia Eurasia every day. It also doesn’t help that he has no respect for anyone but himself.

I think the origin of the tax proposal is that Trump decided that it would be nice to have a detailed policy proposal (with numbers and everything) and that was all his campaign could manage — that they were genuinely incapable of thinking of a possible policy reform other than huge tax cuts for the rich.

I have been trying to resist the temptation to type this post for weeks, but it is hopeless. At least it isn’t a total loss, because I surfed to the thinkprogress quote of Trump’s falsehood from this absolutely wonderful proposal to crown Trump King.

I think Catherine Rampell is reliably excellent.