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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shocking Elon Musk Poll: 71% of Democrats want him jailed, 54% ‘voters' want law to imprison Tesla CEO for his role in DOGE
Since he agreed to lead President Donald Trump's effort to reduce government waste, Elon Musk has become so hated by liberals that they would overwhelmingly favor a law to put the high-tech billionaire behind bars. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A new telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute finds that 54% of Likely Voters would support a hypothetical law that would imprison Musk for his role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including 39% who would Strongly Support such a law. Thirty-six percent (36%) oppose a law that would send Musk to prison, including 26% who strongly oppose it, while 10% are not sure. A recent survey by Rasmussen Reports and The Heartland Institute has ignited a national debate, revealing a stark partisan divide over Elon Musk's involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Detailed Breakdown of Voter Sentiment: Democrats: 71% support imprisonment, with 80% of self-identified liberals in agreement. Republicans: 54% oppose imprisonment. Conservatives: 57% oppose imprisonment. Independents: 52% support, 34% oppose, and 17% are undecided. DOGE: The reason of hatred towards Elon Musk DOGE, established during Trump's second term, is intended to cut government waste. Musk's appointment has been met with significant resistance from the left, who view it as a potential political threat. Justin Haskins, a senior fellow at The Heartland Institute, argues that the poll results reflect a trend of prioritizing political retribution over effective governance. 'The fact that a majority of Democratic voters would support imprisoning Elon Musk for trying to make government more efficient is a shocking indictment of the modern left, which has become increasingly more tyrannical in recent years,' said Justin Haskins, senior fellow at The Heartland Institute and the poll's primary author. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We've reached a point where many Americans would rather unjustly punish innovation than fix the broken systems Musk was trying to reform.' Public Opinion on Banning Musk from Government Service: 48% of likely voters support a ban on Musk serving in any government role. 38% oppose such a ban, and 14% are unsure. Democrats: 68% support a ban. Republicans: 59% oppose a ban. Independents: 46% support, 37% oppose. Elon Musk's Favorability Ratings: Musk's overall favorability rating is 42%, with 52% viewing him unfavorably. His favorability has slightly decreased from 45% in March. Partisan Breakdown: Republicans: 77% favorable. Democrats: 17% favorable. Independents: 37% favorable. Demographic Breakdown: White voters: 46% favorable. Black voters: 29% favorable. Hispanic voters: 40% favorable. Other minorities: 41% favorable. Men: 51% favorable. Women: 35% favorable. Elon Musk called the cause of Growing Political Polarization The survey of 1,067 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on April 30-May 4, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. A majority of voters believe the country has become more divided during Trump's second term. Nearly half attribute the increased polarization to Trump's policies and rhetoric. A widespread belief that civility in US politics has declined, and fears of increased political violence are also present.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Trump's 2017 tax law made the tax code more progressive, not less
As lawmakers in Congress debate whether to renew the personal income tax cuts established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a familiar criticism has resurfaced: that President Trump's signature legislative victory during his first term unfairly favored the rich while leaving the middle class behind. These accusations frequently focus on the law's corporate tax elements — particularly the permanent reductions in business tax rates. However, this narrow focus ignores the broader design, tangible outcomes and overall impact of the law's changes to individual income taxes. Critics of the Trump tax cut sometimes point to the law's corporate tax reductions as proof that the legislation benefitted the wealthy. The tax reform law slashed the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. But that element represents only one piece of the legislation — and not the one that had the most direct consequences for everyday Americans. The lion's share of tax relief aimed at households came through reforms to individual income taxes, and those reforms were anything but lopsided in favor of the wealthy. On the contrary, as we revealed in a new study we co-authored for The Heartland Institute, IRS data conclusively shows that the individual tax cut provisions in Trump's tax cuts disproportionately benefited the working and middle classes. In fact, IRS data shows the Trump tax cuts made the federal tax code more progressive — the exact opposite of what many of its critics allege. A progressive tax code is one in which top earners pay higher tax rates and bear a larger share of the overall tax burden. Contrary to the claims of its critics, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act both preserved and strengthened that structure, while simultaneously lowering marginal tax rates for every income bracket. It also included several provisions that were particularly impactful for low- and middle-income households, such as substantially increasing the standard deduction while doubling and enhancing the child tax credit. The reforms delivered real savings for working- and middle-class Americans. Our study, which compared available IRS data from 2017 against each subsequent year after which the new tax law became effective, shows that every income bracket enjoyed a reduction in federal income taxes. However, the relative benefit was greatest for working- and middle-income Americans. For example, the average filer earning '$40,000 under $50,000' paid 18.9 percent less in income taxes in 2022 compared to 2017. (2022 is the most recent year for which data are available.) Those earning '$50,000 under $75,000' paid 16.6 percent less, and earners in the '$75,000 under $100,000' bracket paid 10.93 percent less. On the other end of the spectrum, the average filer earning '$1,000,000 under $1,500,000' paid 5.31 percent less in 2022 compared to 2017, and each of the four higher-income brackets experienced an even lower reduction. For instance, the tax bills for those earning '$5,000,000 under $10,000,000' were reduced by an average of 2.3 percent, which is nearly six times less than the reduction enjoyed by many lower- and middle-income filers. These percentage changes reflect a core truth about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: While everyone's taxes were reduced on average as a result of the tax law, the savings were far more significant for lower-and middle-income earners, when measured as a share of income rather than in absolute dollars. And that relative relief wasn't just a one-year blip; the same theme is reflected in all other years for which IRS data are available too. Equally compelling evidence comes from our analysis of how the overall federal tax burden shifted in the wake of the law's passage. In 2022, every income bracket earning less than $200,000 paid a smaller share of the federal income tax burden than it had in 2017. For example, filers earning '$100,000 under $200,000' saw their share decrease from 21.24 percent of the total income tax burden to 18.59 percent, and filers earning '$50,000 under $75,000' paid only 4.68 percent of the federal income tax burden in 2022, compared to 6.58 percent in 2017. Meanwhile, each of the seven income brackets containing filers earning $200,000 or more paid a greater share of the total income tax burden. Filers earning '$200,000 under $500,000' saw their share increase from 21.2 percent to 22.6 percent, and filers earning more than $10,000,000 paid 12.44 percent of the federal income tax burden in 2022, compared to just 10.06 percent in 2017. In total, the tax burden shifted upward, with higher-income earners carrying more of the load after the Trump tax cut went into effect, making it a progressive tax law by definition. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, some critics continue to claim the Trump tax cuts benefited only 'the rich' and was paid for at the expense of the middle class. That narrative, while politically potent, conflates corporate and individual provisions and ignores the available data from the IRS. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created thousands of dollars in savings for each working-class American, helping millions of families meet everyday expenses such as groceries, gas, rent and debt payments. With the individual tax provisions set to expire at the end of 2025, these gains are now in jeopardy. Ironically, if the individual tax cut provisions are allowed to expire, 'the rich' will receive a large tax cut, because the law's corporate tax reductions are already permanent and thus will not expire along with the individual tax cuts. Permitting the individual tax cuts to expire will mean the biggest winners will be large corporations, not individuals. Congress must not allow the individual income tax cut provisions from 2017 to lapse. If they do, average tax bills for working- and middle-income Americans will increase significantly. Jack McPherrin is a research fellow at The Heartland Institute. Justin Haskins is a Heartland Institute senior fellow and a New York Times bestselling author. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Trump's 2017 tax law made the tax code more progressive, not less
As lawmakers in Congress debate whether to renew the personal income tax cuts established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a familiar criticism has resurfaced: that President Trump's signature legislative victory during his first term unfairly favored the rich while leaving the middle class behind. These accusations frequently focus on the law's corporate tax elements — particularly the permanent reductions in business tax rates. However, this narrow focus ignores the broader design, tangible outcomes and overall impact of the law's changes to individual income taxes. Critics of the Trump tax cut sometimes point to the law's corporate tax reductions as proof that the legislation benefitted the wealthy. The tax reform law slashed the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. But that element represents only one piece of the legislation — and not the one that had the most direct consequences for everyday Americans. The lion's share of tax relief aimed at households came through reforms to individual income taxes, and those reforms were anything but lopsided in favor of the wealthy. On the contrary, as we revealed in a new study we co-authored for The Heartland Institute, IRS data conclusively shows that the individual tax cut provisions in Trump's tax cuts disproportionately benefited the working and middle classes. In fact, IRS data shows the Trump tax cuts made the federal tax code more progressive — the exact opposite of what many of its critics allege. A progressive tax code is one in which top earners pay higher tax rates and bear a larger share of the overall tax burden. Contrary to the claims of its critics, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act both preserved and strengthened that structure, while simultaneously lowering marginal tax rates for every income bracket. It also included several provisions that were particularly impactful for low- and middle-income households, such as substantially increasing the standard deduction while doubling and enhancing the child tax credit. The reforms delivered real savings for working- and middle-class Americans. Our study, which compared available IRS data from 2017 against each subsequent year after which the new tax law became effective, shows that every income bracket enjoyed a reduction in federal income taxes. However, the relative benefit was greatest for working- and middle-income Americans. For example, the average filer earning '$40,000 under $50,000' paid 18.9 percent less in income taxes in 2022 compared to 2017. (2022 is the most recent year for which data are available.) Those earning '$50,000 under $75,000' paid 16.6 percent less, and earners in the '$75,000 under $100,000' bracket paid 10.93 percent less. On the other end of the spectrum, the average filer earning '$1,000,000 under $1,500,000' paid 5.31 percent less in 2022 compared to 2017, and each of the four higher-income brackets experienced an even lower reduction. For instance, the tax bills for those earning '$5,000,000 under $10,000,000' were reduced by an average of 2.3 percent, which is nearly six times less than the reduction enjoyed by many lower- and middle-income filers. These percentage changes reflect a core truth about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: While everyone's taxes were reduced on average as a result of the tax law, the savings were far more significant for lower-and middle-income earners, when measured as a share of income rather than in absolute dollars. And that relative relief wasn't just a one-year blip; the same theme is reflected in all other years for which IRS data are available too. Equally compelling evidence comes from our analysis of how the overall federal tax burden shifted in the wake of the law's passage. In 2022, every income bracket earning less than $200,000 paid a smaller share of the federal income tax burden than it had in 2017. For example, filers earning '$100,000 under $200,000' saw their share decrease from 21.24 percent of the total income tax burden to 18.59 percent, and filers earning '$50,000 under $75,000' paid only 4.68 percent of the federal income tax burden in 2022, compared to 6.58 percent in 2017. Meanwhile, each of the seven income brackets containing filers earning $200,000 or more paid a greater share of the total income tax burden. Filers earning '$200,000 under $500,000' saw their share increase from 21.2 percent to 22.6 percent, and filers earning more than $10,000,000 paid 12.44 percent of the federal income tax burden in 2022, compared to just 10.06 percent in 2017. In total, the tax burden shifted upward, with higher-income earners carrying more of the load after the Trump tax cut went into effect, making it a progressive tax law by definition. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, some critics continue to claim the Trump tax cuts benefited only 'the rich' and was paid for at the expense of the middle class. That narrative, while politically potent, conflates corporate and individual provisions and ignores the available data from the IRS. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created thousands of dollars in savings for each working-class American, helping millions of families meet everyday expenses such as groceries, gas, rent and debt payments. With the individual tax provisions set to expire at the end of 2025, these gains are now in jeopardy. Ironically, if the individual tax cut provisions are allowed to expire, 'the rich' will receive a large tax cut, because the law's corporate tax reductions are already permanent and thus will not expire along with the individual tax cuts. Permitting the individual tax cuts to expire will mean the biggest winners will be large corporations, not individuals. Congress must not allow the individual income tax cut provisions from 2017 to lapse. If they do, average tax bills for working- and middle-income Americans will increase significantly.
Fox News
17-04-2025
- Business
- Fox News
New study about IRS reveals just how much Trump tax cuts saved you
In Washington, facts are often the first casualty of politics. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the debate over the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 — President Donald Trump's signature tax reform law from his first term in office. As debates rage whether to extend the TCJA's individual tax cuts, left-wing politicians and legacy media outlets are ramping up their usual misinformation campaign. We've all heard the talking points: The TCJA was a "wealth transfer" that came "at the expense of working families," a "giveaway to billionaires," or my personal favorite, a "reverse Robin Hood" scheme to rob the working class for the benefit of the ultra-wealthy. There's just one problem: none of that is true. Not even close. Earlier in April, I co-authored a new policy study for The Heartland Institute examining the latest IRS personal income tax data. Our goal was to determine if the Republican tax law is still saving taxpayers money, and if so, how much? What we found is that lower- and middle-income Americans have received the largest tax breaks due to the TCJA — and these are not small amounts, either. We estimate tens of millions of filers have saved thousands of dollars because of the Republicans' tax reform law, savings that are now at risk should Congress fail to extend the cuts before they expire at the end of 2025. The evidence is clear, compelling and impossible to ignore — unless you're a partisan activist masquerading as a journalist. Using government data, we were able to calculate how much in taxes the average filer in each IRS income bracket paid annually from 2017 to 2022. TCJA was passed into law in 2017 but didn't go into effect until 2018. By comparing the data from 2017 to later years, we can determine the effect of the tax cuts on individuals and families. The IRS data shows that every income bracket received a tax cut because of the TCJA, but the taxpayers who received the biggest cuts, in terms of percentage saved, went to those who earned less than $75,000. For example, the average filer in the IRS's "$40,000 under $50,000" bracket paid 18.8% less in taxes in 2022 than they did in 2017. Similarly, the tax bill for filers in the "$50,000 under $75,000" bracket was 16.5% less in 2022 than it was in 2017. For comparison, those earning between $5 million and $10 million paid 2.3% less over the same period. So much for the "billionaire tax cut" narrative. (You can find data for other income brackets in our published paper, which is available here.) Some critics of the TCJA have claimed that although middle-income Americans received large cuts to their tax rates, those tax rate reductions didn't amount to significant savings in terms of total dollars. But these assertions are also false. Many middle-class Americans have saved thousands because of the TCJA. Our analysis found from 2018 to 2022, filers earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually saved an average of $4,516 because of the personal tax cuts contained in the TCJA. For those in the $75,000 to $100,000 bracket, the savings jumped to $5,923. And those earning $100,000 to $200,000 saved an astonishing $9,638 over five years. These numbers do not tell the full story, however. Because the most recent IRS data available is from 2022, total savings estimates do not include the numbers from 2023 and 2024. To account for these years, we developed projected figures using the average amounts saved in 2018 to 2022. After extending the analysis through 2024 using consistent annual trends, the numbers become even more impressive. In 2022, more than 50 million middle-class filers fell into brackets that saved on average between $6,322 and $13,494 in total savings. Even lower-income and working-class Americans saw substantial relief. We estimate that households making between $30,000 and $50,000 saved $2,537 to $3,833 over the same period. Ironically, the very law Democrats call a boon for the rich has made the U.S. tax code more progressive. We came to this conclusion by examining the tax burden paid by each IRS income bracket in 2017, the year before TCJA went into effect, compared to their burdens in subsequent years. What we found is that in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, every income bracket earning less than $200,000 paid a smaller share of the total personal income tax burden than they did in 2017. Conversely, every bracket above $200,000 paid a greater share. That means that although every income group received a tax cut because of the TCJA, the Trump tax cuts caused wealthier filers to pay for a bigger chunk of the personal tax revenue pie than they did in previous years, the exact opposite of what Democrats frequently claim. If Congress does nothing, the TCJA's personal income tax cuts will expire at the end of 2025. That means tens of millions of Americans will face a stealth tax hike. For many middle-income families, it could mean paying $900 or more in taxes annually. After extending the analysis through 2024 using consistent annual trends, the numbers become even more impressive. Washington elites might not feel it, but working families sure will. That's why this fight matters. This isn't about President Donald Trump or partisan point-scoring — it's about whether the government should take more from families already struggling under the weight of inflation and stagnant wages. The data is in. The verdict is clear. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act worked — for everyone, but especially for working-class and middle-income Americans. It's time to tell the truth about the tax cuts, and then make them permanent.
