A Step toward Bipartisan Tax Reform
Blue Dog Democrats, political centrist members of the House of Representatives, recently met with members of the White House economic team, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, economic advisor Gary Cohn, and Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short. The Blue Dogs agree with certain tax reform goals of President Trump, namely that legislation must (i) spur economic growth; (ii) reduce tax rates for the middle-class; (iii) broaden the revenue base; and (iv) lower corporate rates. The 18 member group anticipates releasing its own set of tax reform principles, which will include the need for reform to be deficit-neutral. The GOP is hopeful that bipartisan support would eliminate the need for reform to be passed through the budget reconciliation process, although it is not clear that even collaboration with the Blue Dog Democrats would lead to the support of eight Democratic senators required to pass a bill in the ordinary course.
Read more here: Blue Dog Democrats meet with top Trump aides on tax reform