In Arizona, we have another GOP resignation, and another special election. This time the showdown is in former Rep. Trent Franks district. Franks resigned after a rather bizarre incident where he reportedly asked a female staffer to be a surrogate mother. He was offering $5 million, but female staffers seemed to be worried that he would be the one that impregnated them. There were also allegations of unwanted advances. While not like Franks’ colleague Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), who resigned after it was discovered he had an extramarital affair and reportedly urged his mistress to have an abortion during a pregnancy scare, it’s yet another political battle that was avoidable. Right now, Republican Debbie Lesko is facing off against Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, who decided to repeat the shoddy and false Democratic narrative that $1,000+ bonuses from Trump’s tax bill are crumbs.
“That’s not going to cover anything,” she said of the bonuses, while saying if you want to have smart tax cuts, you’d give it to the middle class and small business owners. Uh, the Trump tax bill is a middle and working class tax cut, which your party universally opposed. Even Bernie Sanders admitted that the middle class would get relief. CNN’s Jake Tapper said last Christmas that 91 percent of middle class Americans would get a cut. Maybe that’s why approval for the bill has clinched majority support. Maybe that’s why over three million workers have received bonuses. And maybe that’s why Democrats have been fretting over the endless positive news from this bill. No one cares that corporate America is doing well, as long as workers get something from this bill—and as long as they feel they’re not being cheated. Obviously, they’ve reversed course since admittedly the tax bill’s approval numbers were dismal when Trump signed this into law last December.
The Democratic (and liberal media) response, besides the obvious sneering and mocking of working families, can be summed up like this: you’re too poor to start saving, so why don’t you see that we’re right, you morons! And Democrats wonder how Hillary Clinton, who had zero economic message coupled with calling Trump voters deplorable, lost the election. Oh, and now the bill is unpatriotic.
It must be nice to have never been poor https://t.co/GIXXwqm0N0
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) December 22, 2017
$75 is a phone bill, a water bill, food for a week, new clothes for work...
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) December 21, 2017
Stop telling people how much money they need. https://t.co/yhf4v2riDt
$75 is half of my power bill.
— High Capacity Rapid-Fire Ordy (@TheOpulentAmish) December 22, 2017
But please, miss elite "conservative" tell me more about how little money effects me https://t.co/bqx6aBW7mZ
Look in the mirror if you want to see "clueless". An extra $75 for a working class family would help with gas, food, or any number of things. Don't be a condescending elitist. https://t.co/CLDT3MONg4
— Phineas Fahrquar (@irishspy) December 22, 2017
What’s ironic about Tipirneni is that the Arizona Republic’s endorsement of her in the Democratic primary described her as someone who takes a “data-based” approach to policy:
Although her stances reflect a Democratic agenda, Tipirneni touts a science-led, data-based approach to policymaking, which could help take the passion out of vitriolic debates over how to deal with entitlement reform or environmental programs. Or how to deal with gun violence, which she views as a public-health issue.
Westbrook brings unique qualifications to the race, too. She has spent time advocating civil rights and protection for transgender individuals and for the working class.
Both candidates may be inspired to run for public office for the first time, but we hope their work in the public sphere continues beyond this race. CD 8 stands to benefit from it. Arizona, too.
Sounds like she mastered the art of spouting off ineffective Democratic talking points on a bill that’s already benefited millions and created a better job creating and investing climate.
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