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If President Trump wants to bring his plunging poll numbers back up, a sure fix is staring him in the face: He can push through his “big, beautiful” tax-slashing bill. Pronto.
Trump met with Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday to discuss the legislation, which would make his 2017 tax cuts — set to expire at the end of the year — permanent.
That’s good news, but Trump needs to keep the pressure on in a big way.
After all, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act benefited the middle and working class the most (despite the left’s lie that it helped only the rich): Not only did average taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money, but wages shot up and unemployment went down. The economy thrived.
If those tax cuts expire, as the Democrats want, Americans will take a big hit. If they’re preserved, Trump gets the win and voters cheer.
Indeed, the new budget package not only keeps the 2017 tax cuts in place, but it seeks to add a few more cuts (like scrapping taxes on tips and Social Security, for example) and could well set the stage for a similar boom.
The House passed a blueprint this month, but the final bill is being held up as lawmakers work out how to pay for it.
Johnson has set the deadline for Memorial Day weekend, but some lawmakers are dragging their feet over potential trims to entitlements, and GOP deficit hawks are balking at the idea of lowering taxes without making greater rollbacks to spending.
But the tough decisions need to be made fast.
Trump’s No. 1 priority should be using his bully pulpit to put tax cuts in the spotlight, rally the public behind them and push lawmakers to seal a deal.
Trump’s poll numbers have slipped because his chaos-causing tariffs have been front-and-center, and he dismisses the short-term pain they’re causing.
Investors are on pins and needles. Average Joes and Janes fear their retirement savings are vanishing. Small-business owners are worried about keeping their doors open.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll showed Trump is currently boasting the lowest approval rating of any president in the first 100 days of his term since 1945.
The president has made clear he’s not happy about those numbers.
Yes, tariffs may yield some wins down the road, as more countries come to the negotiating table to hammer out trade deals. But the economy needs relief now.
Trump needs to shift his focus to legislation that will relieve some uncertainty and give taxpayers and the markets something to cheer about.
It’s hard to think of a better example of good policy making for good politics.