One can never deny that Senator John Kennedy is a truth teller who almost makes it enjoyable to get smacked with reality. He made his opinion clear to big state Republican congressmen, “The Jackassery has to stop!” There is a lot of “Jackassery” going around in Washington these days, but his specific reference was to the state and local tax cut deduction (SALT). He made it clear that the threat of a few Republican representatives voting against the “Big Beautiful Bill” unless the SALT deductions are kept at $ 40,000, as designated in the House reconciliation bill, should not pass.
Kennedy noted that everyone is having to give in on some issues to get this important bill passed. Passing the bill is crucial to making the tax cuts permanent and delivering on President Trump’s other campaign priorities. It’s Kennedy’s perspective that if they felt they had to vote against the bill, let them. Let them also experience the consequences when the legislation fails to pass and voters are hit with the highest tax increase in decades.
Kennedy asserts that to increase the SALT deductions to the level they want would cost the federal government $300 billion in lost revenue. More needs to be said about why SALT deductions must remain limited.
Too many politicians act as though federal spending is somehow funded by the government’s money. All government expenditures are paid by taxpayers. Under SALT, citizens in other states are expected to subsidize the largesse of progressive states like CA, New York, and New Jersey. Why should American taxpayers from other states by expected to help fund such out-of-control spending? There is no Constitutional justification for such subsidies.
If citizens in progressive states continue to vote in big spenders, then they alone ought to have to pay their own state’s spending through increased state taxes.
As a California resident who is a registered Republican, there is a second reason I want Washington to say “NO” to expanding the SALT deduction. The remaining Republicans want to win back California for the GOP! But if the federal government keeps bailing out irresponsible Democrat leaders, voters in those states will never be forced to change their votes.
Without higher SALT deductions, most California taxpayers will pay significantly more in state taxes. After all, they should face the cost of electing wasteful spenders. Maybe they will then consider donating money to progressive campaigns. It may even give voters a reason to vote Republican—lower taxes and responsible budgets!
As a result of the Democrat party’s full control of the executive and legislative branches in California, more and more conservative voters and companies are leaving the state. Many more are considering leaving, but those remaining must be convinced not to abandon the fight. California, on so many levels, remains a great place to live. If the cost of Democratic leadership were fully experienced, more voters might wake up to the need for change.
As the GOP works to push through the reconciliation bill now under consideration, they must be encouraged to stay strong on getting it passed without giving in on expanding the SALT deduction.
Yes, the progressive big states will complain and whine about the end to federal subsidies for their citizens. But a strong stand will give Republican politicians in those states a reason to support the GOP budget constraint!
Stand firm on keeping the SALT deduction low, and you give Republicans an issue to drive in upcoming campaigns. What politicians in Washington have been doing is giving in to big state pressure. Please stand up for the states whose voters are being forced to pay the price. Yes, Senator Kennedy, “The Jackassery has to stop!' May it be so!
Terry Paulson is PhD psychologist, professional speaker, and author of The Optimism Advantage and his new political novel, The Summit. Contact him at terry@terrypaulson.com.
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