Tax reform for the few

Why has the “tax reform” legislation passed by the Republican-controlled House and now being rushed through the Senate blow off even the semblance of regular legislative order allowing expert witness testimony and a full and open discussion of the major changes that would be made to our tax code?

Why, indeed. Whenever the GOP pushes a new “reform,” a very large dose of skepticism that it won’t in fact be worse for most people is in order.

This legislation has revealed an unseemly rush to demonstrate raw political power by the GOP to guarantee rewards to the already entitled while saddling us with more than $1.5 trillion added to the deficit.

Inexorably connected to this legislation is the new GOP proposed budget for next year underfunding and weakening our essential publicly financed services in such areas as the environment, health, welfare, education, science and the list goes on.

I don’t recall a general clamoring in the body politic for an urgent rewriting of the tax code to favor the wealthy and the corporate entities which stand to benefit mightily if this legislation becomes law.

This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Tax reform for the few."