Rep. Crowley: Congressmen Supporting Tax Cuts Don’t Have Souls

Republicans who support cutting taxes do not have a soul, a Democratic congressman argued at a tax day protest day in Washington, D.C.

"We have to assume as people of faith they may have souls, but they didn’t demonstrate it when they passed this bill," Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday at a rally on Capitol Hill. "Because what this is all a setup for is so they can go after Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That’s the setup. That’s what this is all about."

Crowley said Republicans should stop focusing on repealing ObamaCare and should instead "repeal and replace" their tax cut bill. 

"This is the bill that needs to be repealed and replaced," Crowley said. "They are focused on healthcare. Repeal this bill, my Republican colleagues."

Here's a transcript of his remarks:

“You know, the Trump billionaires first tax scam, that’s what it is, a tax scam. Not a tax cut, a tax scam. It does nothing to help working men and women in this country. It is the greatest bait and switch I’ve seen in my years here in Washington. He promised to help working men and women. He lied. He promised that he would have a better way. He lied. Not unusual about this president. The overwhelming benefits have gone towards the wealthiest 1 percent in our nation and the wealthiest corporations in the history of the world.

They got a tax break and a permanent tax break. The biggest bait and switch in the history of our country. We simply cannot stand by and allow it to rest. Republican caucus needs to announce that it will repeal and replace this bill. This is the bill that needs to be repealed and replaced. They are focused on healthcare. Repeal this bill, my Republican colleagues.

I sit on the Ways and Means Committee and I heard one of my colleagues talk about the fact that he’s doing a lot of soul-searching after he voted for this tax scam, doing a lot of soul-searching. You know, this is all a pretense — I’m told Doctor Simone — Sister Simone, Dr. Sister Simone is here. And I suppose, Sister, we have to assume as people of faith they may have souls, but they didn’t demonstrate it when they passed this bill. Because what this is all a setup for is so they can go after Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. That’s the setup. That’s what this is all about.

And we’re not going to let them do that because we have children, we have veterans, we have students, we have working families that need a real break. And this bill does not deliver on that. So we’re not going to rest. And when we take back the House, we will repeal and we will replace this bill. Thank you all.”