White House targets Rick Scott plan on Tax Day

The White House on Monday used the occasion of Tax Day to go after Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-Fla.) proposed tax plan, arguing it shows the gulf between GOP proposals and the Biden administration’s priorities.

A fact sheet released by the White House press office highlighted aspects of Scott’s policy proposals that would raise taxes on middle-class and lower-income Americans, contrasting it with Biden policy proposals like the child tax credit and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act.

“This Tax Day, it’s a clear choice. And the President is going to continue fighting for middle-class tax relief and to make sure the richest Americans and largest corporations don’t pay a lower rate than middle-class families,” the White House said in its fact sheet. “And he will fight against the Republican plan to raise taxes on middle-class families and to threaten the future of Social Security and Medicare, while continuing giant hand outs to very top and the largest corporations.”

The White House tied congressional Republicans to Scott’s plan, despite the fact that many in the GOP have distanced themselves or have yet to embrace the senator’s proposals. The fact sheet alleges the Republican plan would increase taxes on middle class families by an average of nearly $1,500 this year, and would cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Biden has repeatedly pledged not to raise taxes on any American making less than $400,000 as he and congressional Democrats discuss ways to fund billions in spending on climate, health care and family care programs.

“The President believes we have a sacred commitment to our nation’s seniors, while the Republican plan puts that at risk,” the fact sheet states.

Biden also routinely criticizes Republicans for enacting a tax cut during the Trump administration that he and Democrats argue disproportionately benefitted corporations and wealthy Americans. The president has pushed for a 15 percent minimum tax on corporations and a higher corporate tax rate to ensure large businesses pay their fair share. The 2017 tax bill passed by Republicans lowered the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.

Scott released his 11-point plan in late February, and it has become a frequent subject of Democratic attacks in the months since. One of the proposals called for all Americans to pay taxes, even a small amount. Scott has clarified that it wouldn’t apply to seniors or those who aren’t “able-bodied.” 

While Scott asserted at the time that the plan did not represent the Senate GOP conference or the National Republican Senate Committee, the campaign arm that he leads, the plan received a chilly reception from many of his Republican colleagues.

“We will not have as part of our agenda a bill that raises taxes on half the American people and sunsets Social Security and Medicare within five years. That will not be part of the Republican Senate majority agenda,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said days after Scott’s plan was released.

In an interview with The Hill last month, Scott said he would continue to workshop his policy agenda and insisted GOP candidates across the country would run their own campaigns rather than be tied to his platform.