They warned that if Republicans take control of the Senate it will result in tax increases on millions.
Scott, who is the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and charged with getting Republicans elected, published a 11 point framework to "Rescue America" on Tuesday. This was in response to criticism from Democrats that Republicans prefer to blame Democrats, but have no real ideas to run for the 2022 midterm elections.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did not release a public legislative plan for his party if it takes back control of the chamber in 2022. McConnell answered reporters in January when asked about the GOP's agenda. He said, "I'll let it be back when we take it back."
Scott claims he'll back McConnell to become the party's Senate Leader. However, Scott stated that "if Republicans return Washington's business as usual and if we have any bigger plan than to be an obstruction on the road towards America's collapse," and that he didn't deserve to govern.
His plan covers a range of issues, including education and a national voter identification law. It also addresses immigration. He also outlines what Republicans will do if elected later this year. The framework includes several steps to address the economy, government spending, and one particular line has been criticized.
The plan states that all Americans should pay income tax in order to be able to participate in the game. "Currently, more than half of Americans don't pay any income tax."
The statement was quickly picked up by Democrats.
Tweeted Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: "Senator Rick Scott explains Republican's plan to raise taxes for more than half the Americans." He wants seniors and working families to pay more.
Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, also commented , tweeting that the Senate Republicans had "just released an economy plan that doesn’t include any proposal to lower prices of the middle class."
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) announced that it would begin running radio ads in support of the Scott tax plan, just one day after the plan was revealed. The five-figure ad purchase would target voters streaming radio, including Pandora and iHeart radio stations as well as podcasts.
David Bergstein, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Communications Director, stated that "we're making sure voters understand the facts about Senate Republicans’ agenda: A tax hike on millions seniors and more than half of all Americans." The ad concludes: "If Republicans win, we will pay the price."
According to the Tax Policy Center's analysis last year, 61% or almost 107 million households didn't pay federal income taxes in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. The Tax Policy Center predicted that the increase in federal income taxes would be temporary. In fact, the percentage of households not paying federal income taxes will drop to 57% (102 million households) by 2021. The study found that nearly everyone pays some other taxes. This includes state and local sales taxes as well as property taxes.
Scott's proposal to make all Americans pay some income taxes brings back Mitt Romney's 47% comments from 2012, when he was running for the Republican presidential nomination.
Romney claimed that 47% would vote for Obama "no matter the outcome" and are dependent on the government in a leaked recording he made at a fundraiser. He claimed they were people who don't pay income tax. He stated that his job was not to worry about them as he wouldn't be able convince them to take "personal accountability".
Democrats and President Obama hammered Romney over those remarks. They pointed out that 47% of the 47% were seniors, veterans, and students. These remarks stayed with Romney throughout his losing presidential campaign. He later apologized for them.
Scott's tax plan is coming at a time when Democrats in leadership face mounting challenges going into the midterms. With the COVID-19 pandemic reaching into a third year, and inflation rising 7.5% in the last year, Scott's tax stance comes at a time when Democrats are facing mounting difficulties.
Scott responded to the Democrats' denigration of the plan by doubled down. He claimed that Democrats' "fake outrage” about the plan "further demonstrates just how out-of-touch they are with American citizens." He tweeted that Americans wanted everyone to pay their fair share. All Americans pay taxes on their income. Retirees have already paid plenty.
Tony Fabrizio was a pollster for President Trump. praised Scott for his "courage in staking out an Agenda," but said he didn’t get "embracing or saddling [the] GOP with tax increases."
Before Scott's plan was even rolled out, Democrats were constantly attacking Republicans over taxes ever since Trump and his Republican-led Congress passed tax cuts in 2017.
The Tax Policy Center found that households with higher incomes received greater tax cuts as a proportion of their after-tax income. The largest reductions went to those who earn the highest incomes, 95th through 99th percentiles. The Treasury Department also found that billions of taxes are not paid by the richest Americans each year.
Democrats call for an end to Trump's tax cuts. In order to audit more corporations and the wealthy Americans, they've also called for more money for IRS.
Scott's plan, however, calls for a new approach to the troubled agency. It states that Republicans will "immediately reduce the IRS funding and workforce of 50%."
