Fox’s Bill Hemmer Tussles With House Democrat on $3.5 Trillion Spending Bill: Are You ‘A Capitalist or a Socialist?’

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) sparred with Fox News on Wednesday over the proposed $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill that would expand America’s welfare state and deal with climate change.

During America’s Newsroom, co-host Bill Hemmer asked Pocan, the chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, “Why is it smart to pump trillions of more dollars out of Washington into the economy especially now?”

“We just had a presentation from an economist this morning from Moody’s and did a great explaining just we’re at the peak of the inflation right now because everything did just reopen from Covid,” replied Pocan. “In many cases, things are just coming back to pre-Covid prices, but they went down became of Covid when people were out work, etc… and now they’re getting back to where they were.”

“But they also show the trajectory going right back down. The problem is not everyone has benefited from all parts of the economy. Many people in my district and across the country are still hurting, which is why…,” continued Pocan, who was cut off by Hemmer, who said, “But a lot more people can hurt with inflation. You know the trap that comes with that type of economics know.”

“Do you consider yourself a capitalist or a socialist?” Hemmer asked.

“I’ve been a small business owner for 33 years, so you tell me,” responded Pocan.

“I know a little bit about capitalism, let’s put it that way,” he added.

Hemmer followed up and asked, “You’re saying you’re a capitalist, correct?”

“Yeah, when you’re a small business owner since you got out of college and had hair and longer than probably anyone,” said Pocan, who is currently bald. “You know, the Republicans in Congress have owned a small business, more than 98 percent of them, yeah, I think I’m pretty good at understanding capitalism.”

Hemmer replied that he appreciated the response, “love the answer.”

“However,” continued Hemmer, “in this tax plan here you’re going to go after some Americans and you’re going to tax more than 60 percent of their gross income depending on where they live in the country. I know you want the revenue. Is that fair?”

Pocan called Hemmer’s premise “a misrepresentation of what Joe Biden has in his plan.”

When Pocan said “misrepresentation,” Hemmer said, “Oh is it?”

Pocan noted that there is no final version of the legislation yet and repeated President Joe Biden’s talking point that, as Pocan put it, those “making more than $400,000 and corporations that often haven’t paid their fair share like my constituents have of their taxes often who hide their profits overseas they’re the ones that going to pay it.”

“So all of this talk about how big the bill is, it’s going to cost nothing to the average person. They will finally…,” he continued before being interrupted by Hemmer, who said, “My point is some Americans who are high earners between state and city and Washington and Obamacare, they’re up 60 percent, 61 percent, of gross.”

Hemmer tried to ask one “last question,” but Pocan interjected and remarked that the State and Local Tax deduction, or SALT, “that was taken out during the Trump-era tax cut that affected those folks more than anything, so you’re right, if those folks are upset that they’re paying more in taxes, you should go to the Republicans that passed that bill that benefited the top 1 percent.”

Contrary to Pocan’s assertion, the 2017 tax bill did not eliminate SALT, rather it placed a $10,000 cap.

Watch above, via Fox News.