The 2021 Omnibus Repealer and Clawback Act
The 2021 Omnibus Repealer and Clawback Act
A saving grace of 2017 — up until now — is that Trump and the GOP have been the Keystone Kops of Kleptocracy, consistently faceplanting in attempts at regressive domestic legislation.
With the passage of the GOP tax bill, that all changes. Not only is it a massive giveaway to the corporations and the wealthy who least need assistance, it actually raises taxes over time over many if not most lower and middle class households. It also sends Obamacare into a death spiral by kicking out the individual mandate, ensuring that the pool of insureds gets sicker and sicker. Meanwhile, the hostage-taking of innocent children via the termination of SCHIP and DACA continues.
To top it off, already I am already reading bits from erstwhile young liberals like Matt Yglesias (with whom I generally agree) and Ezra “the only thing separating him from David Broder is six feet of dirt” Klein to the effect that the Democrats will only be able nibble around the edges of the corporate tax cuts when they next return to power.
Nonsense.
I want to give you one little ray of sunshine: all of this can be undone, and it can be undone in one fell swoop. The very fist thing I expect, indeed demand, from the next Democratic Congress and President, is The 2021 Omnibus Repealer and Clawback Act, to en masse repeal all Acts and regulations which will have taken effect since January 20, 2017. It should be passed via discharge petition in the House (to prevent it from getting tied up in committees) and via nuking what is left of the filibuster in the Senate if necessary — although the parts that reverse what the GOP is passing via reconciliation should presumably be possible with 51 votes anyway.
Further, there is nothing preventing a complete clawback of all of the tax revenue lost via this bill. The prohibition against Ex Post Facto laws only applies to criminal acts. Taxes can be and have been made retroactive.
If the GOP tries to cement their hold on the Judiciary by increasing the number of Federal judgeships, the Omnibus Act should immediately add another identical number in 2021.
If there are unexpected hardships or snafus, the Executive can be given the power to delay enforcement of any parts of the repealer for, say, 180 days while the Congress works out the kinks (say, by eliminating the debt ceiling entirely). Otherwise, once the laws have been reset to January 2017, we can go to work improving them.
Even in case DACA children are deported, they should be encouraged to keep their paperwork, so that they can be re-admitted in 2021.
For now, just remember that almost all of this horrible stuff is reversible, and if elected Democrats have their feet held to the fire, it can be reversed in toto and immediately.
Sure. Just like the Democrats took control of the House and Senate in 2006 and stopped the war in Iraq. Oh wait, we got “the surge” instead. And the Democrats took control of the White House in 2008 and promptly repealed the Bush tax cuts. Oh wait, they passed a “stimulus” that was 40% tax cuts instead. Tell me again how Democrats always undo the wreckage done by Republicans. Tell me again why I keep voting for Democrats and wondering why I got suckered again.
Gee:
$7.5 billion over 10 years as opposed to $1.5 trillion? In the end those tax breaks will not sunset as they are balanced against those making less than $75,000.
2008: “The sum of the basic and child credits was reduced by 5 percent of the tax filer’s adjusted gross income over $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers).”
The majority of the 2008 tax break went to individuals making less than $150,000.” The bulk (~66%) of trump’s tax break goes to those making greater than $500,000 annually.
Nobody controls the Senate until the filibuster is eliminated.
Welcome to Angry Bear. First comments go to moderation to weed out spammers and advertising.
“Oh wait, they passed a “stimulus” that was 40% tax cuts instead. Tell me again how Democrats always undo the wreckage done by Republicans”
Umm, the stimulus bill was not a Budget Reconciliation bill, nor could it have been.
While the effect of this bill could certainly be undone through Reconciliation, not all of claims above could be. Nor could there be a “back to 1/17” in terms of all changes.
Nice thoughts, I am on board with almost all of them, but there are more limits than stated.
We are very close to civil war. That would take us there. I am suspicious of another presidential election cycle occurring without it breaking out.
Curt:
I seem to remember you from previous. Anyhoo, welcome to Angry Bear. First comments always go to moderation to weed out spammers and advertising.