‘I Don’t Understand’: Fox Business Host Baffled by GOP Not Hiking Taxes on ‘Very, Very Wealthy’

A Fox Business host is perplexed that Republicans — while trying to pass the “Big Beautiful” budget bill through Congress — haven’t tried to generate revenue by raising taxes on the “very, very wealthy.”

Speaking with panelists Gerry Baker and David Bahnsen Tuesday morning on Varney & Co., Fox Business host Stuart Varney expressed surprise that the GOP hasn’t pushed taxes on the rich in order to get a larger percentage of the public behind their legislation.

“I don’t understand why they didn’t move to higher taxes on the very very wealthy,” Varney said. “That would be politically expedient. It would go down well with everybody.”

Well, almost everybody. The comment was vigorously disputed by Baker — editor at large for The Wall Street Journal — who argued the rich are contributing more than their fair share.

“I think it would be bad, bad policy,” Baker said. “Those people are already paying high level, high rates of tax — 37 percent top rate of tax.”

Varney — recognizing he clearly touched on a third rail of GOP politics — quickly qualified his comment.

“I just don’t want anybody in our audience to think that I want higher taxes on wealthy people,” said Varney. “I’m just saying it would be politically expedient — that’s all I’m saying.”

“It actually wouldn’t,” said Bahnsen, a financial commentator and portfolio manager. “Because they wouldn’t get the Republican votes for it. If Republicans can’t be counted on to not raise your taxes, then what good are they at all?”

“I’ll take this opportunity to move on and change the subject,” Varney said.

Watch above, via Fox Business