As Donald Trump and the Republican Party fight to pass his “big, beautiful bill” to cut taxes for the wealthy and gut federal spending for key federal agencies and social support programs, a new podcast miniseries from The Lever is pulling back the curtain on how Republicans became the face of the anti-tax movement.
David Sirota, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever and a former speechwriter and senior adviser to Bernie Sanders, joins Mehdi to discuss the podcast, “Tax Revolt”, and the surprising state where the movement took off in the 1970s: California.
Sirota tells Mehdi that while “Democrats were the Santa Claus of spending programs,” Republicans realized they could be “the Santa Claus of tax cuts.”
But as Sirota explains, Republican voters are beginning to sour on the idea of tax cuts as more people have learned that while this “Santa Claus” provides gifts “to the very richest,” those benefits aren’t trickling down to those who need them most.
“We’re living through a time where you can see every day the actual real-world effects of prioritizing tax cuts over a government that can accomplish the most basic necessities that we need it to accomplish,” Sirota tells Mehdi.
You can click here to listen to The Lever’s new podcast miniseries, “Tax Revolt”, which is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Paid subscribers can watch the full interview above to hear Mehdi and Sirota discuss the parts of Donald Trump’s playbook that trace back to the early days of the tax revolt, the lasting impacts of a California ballot measure that has made it nearly impossible to raise taxes in the state, and whether AOC is the heir to Bernie Sanders’ movement.
Free subscribers can watch a 6-minute preview only. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today to watch the full interview.
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