Mr. Trump did not help matters with his unequivocal statement of what exactly he wanted to do with the taxman, which he suggested on Saturday he “would like” to end. ‘Social security is mostly funded by payroll taxes, and getting rid of them would be a drastic change in federal government revenue.
Larry Kudlow, Mr. Trump’s best economic adviser, said on Sunday that the president referred to forgiveness of the payroll taxes that had been proposed, stating, “He did not mean to eliminate the social security tax. ” But on Monday, Mr. Trump used similar language, saying that if he wins re-election, ‘we will end that tax; we end that tax. ”
And his campaign advisers were afraid to take any action. “This is actually the biggest news of the day: President Trump said that if he is re-elected, he will see the permanent termination of the tax bill there!” tweeted the campaign’s senior legal adviser, Jenna Ellis.
Whatever the president intended, simply passing on the subject gives Democrats extra ammunition in their attempt to address older Americans.
The Democratic congressional campaign committee demanded to know if Republicans supported Mr. Trump’s effort to, as the commission put it, “deliver a devastating blow to seniors already faltering from this health and economic crisis. . ” And the Democratic National Committee is planning efforts in battleground states to draw attention to the issue.
The president’s move could also continue Mr Biden’s on the offensive on a subject that has been a potential vulnerability for him. In the Democratic primary, Mr. Biden came under criticism for his record on Social Security during his long career in public office, as well as his support in the 1980s for a frozen run of government, including Social Security.
Following the president’s action on tax evasion, the Trump campaign sought to flip the issue over Mr Biden, reiterating the criticism he had faced in the primary. The campaign sent out an email calling Mr Biden “the only candidate in the race who sought to reduce Social Security benefits.”
