Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) blasted a bill introduced by House Republicans that would eliminate the federal income tax and replace it with a 30% sales tax on most goods and services sold in the United States.
Introduced by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), the Fair Tax Act would abolish the Internal Revenue Service and with it, the income, payroll, estate, and gift taxes. The legislation has 23 Republican cosponsors.
Democrats have had a field day with the proposal. One anti-tax conservative called the bill “a free gift to Democrats.”
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has distanced himself from the proposal. However, he promised to put it to a vote as part of the deal he made to become speaker.
Appearing on Wednesday’s edition of The Last Word, Tester made clear he is ready to torch the bill in the Senate if it gets that far.
O’Donnell noted most Americans pay more in Social Security taxes than in income taxes.
“Income taxes aren’t the burden that they seem to think it is,” the MSNBC host said before asking about the bill. “What is your argument against it?
“Montana does not have a sales tax,” Tester replied. “This is a really bad idea to put a 30% tax on everything that’s sold. It hurts working families across our country and in Montana. And for those very reasons, since it’s bad policy. I
The senator noted the country is facing rising costs in healthcare, housing, and childcare.
“Now we’ve got Republicans in the House that wanna put a 30% sales tax on everything we buy? That’s totally ridiculous,” he stated.
“And I’ll tell you, this is not the right thing to do,” Tester added. “And I think quite frankly, it’s a silly doggone idea. And like I said, over my dead body. We will fight every day until this thing goes down to defeat.”
Watch above via MSNBC.