 |
| Another Diversionary Tactic |
Trump knows exactly what America's media wants. Follow the shiny object.
Taking the public eye off the Trumpcare disaster.
The Republican replacement to the ACA is falling into a political sinkhole. Who knew that healthcare was so complicated?
The Republican replacement to the ACA is falling into a political sinkhole. Who knew that healthcare was so complicated?
Democrats can try to resist the distraction and go back to their main point: the Trumpcare disaster.
The fact that Trump sent up the diversion is noteworthy.
**The AARP is alarmed and opposes it.
**The AMA is alarmed and opposes it.
**The American Hospital Association is alarmed and opposes it.
**GOP Freedom Caucus people oppose it because it helps too many people.
 |
| Et tu, Fox? |
**GOP Senators from many states oppose it because it takes away Medicaid expansion.
**Democrats opposed it because.
**The CBO doesn't oppose it but their numbers are alarming.
**Budget hawks oppose it because it creates a new entitlement.
**Trump's Breitbart spokesmen are releasing audiotapes of Paul Ryan.
**Fox News has people on screen saying the plan simply must be changed.
**GOP Senators with ambition (Paul, Sasse, Cruz, Cotton) are criticizing it from the right.
**GOP Senators deeply angry with Trump (Graham, McCain) criticize it from tradition.
**GOP Senators afraid for their jobs (Collins) criticize it from the left.
Diversion!! Look here!! Trump has done it again, creating a much more interesting story than the details of health insurance policy and legislation. Donald Trump paid taxes after all! He earned $150 million dollars so he is, indeed rich. He had tax carry forward losses that nearly eliminated his taxes, but was then caught by the Alternative Minimum Tax.
 |
| Likely sent by Trump himself??? |
Did Trump send the intriguing 2 pages of his 2005 tax return? The person who received them thinks, yes, probably. What is undoubted is that Breitbart makes it the big, happy headline, mocking the "fake news" media generally, people who had questioned whether Trump paid taxes, and especially Rachel Maddow. And then the photo of Donald Trump smirking.
Readers unfamiliar with Breitbart need to understand that Breitbart plays a special role in the Trump message system. Breitbart is the semi-official internet news organ for the campaign and now presidency. It is tabloid rather than respectable. It is snarky and aggressive and brash. It says what Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway can not quite say. It is the outlet that goes "Nyea, nyea, nyea, I told you so, loser!" The fast response of the White House to news that the 2005 tax return cover sheets were leaked suggests they were ready for it. The Breitbart glee at its release is more evidence. The leak was welcome.
 |
| Breitbart loves the tax story. |
Instantly the health care debate falls off the front of the story and every news outlet is talking about Trump and his taxes.
What should Democrats do? They should do what Trump would do.
Trump would say that the returns were incomplete and that they raise "serious questions" about the potential sources of that income which demand investigation for potential sources of Trump being blackmailed by foreign powers. Or maybe he owes huge debts to secret foreign banks? And certainly his dislike of the Alternative Minimum Tax is shocking, corrupt, self serving, and very, very bad. Information did not resolve birtherism for Trump; it gave the basis for new doubts and accusations.
Trump understands that doubts and dark conspiracies nestle in the backs of voters' minds.
But then Trump would go right back to the point of contention, the healthcare replacement. He would call it by the worst possible name, perhaps "the Trumpcare disaster." An area ripe for criticism is that Trump is a demolition expert only. He repeal but he cannot replace, he can break but he cannot build, and when he builds he takes care of his rich buddies and not the average person. His tax plan and Trumpcare replacement will both help the wealthiest at the expense of the working poor. He was a con, after all.
"The Trumpcare disaster "is a fruitful meme for Democrats and the fact that Trump (or someone Trump welcomed) leaked his taxes to divert attention is a good predictor of where the weak spots are.
It isn't Trump's taxes. It is the Trumpcare disaster. One is the diversion, the other the target.
1 comment:
On the money...whether he did it or not is irrelevant. The opposition media overplayed and it makes them look sensationalist without substance. It doesn't provide any real evidence of possible corruption and we have to assume that whomever sent it would have the entire return, so I think this is a ploy to manipulate the news cycle. it's nearing six months since the election; we are past shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and need to settle on acceptance and get to work regaining the Congress. Even if a smoking gun is found the House is unlikely to impeach, so we have to accept a year of this and hope that a Democratic Congress will put the brakes on.
Post a Comment