Biden Urges Higher Taxes on the Wealthy; Brands Trump as Elitist

(ReliableNews.org) – Election season is well underway. The presumptive candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties have been chosen by the people: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. While Trump was busy in a Manhattan court facing felony charges, marking a first in American history, Biden was on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania. His first stop was in his boyhood town of Scranton where he spoke to a crowd about taxes and a few other key issues. Biden also drew a stark line between the former president, himself, and the people of Scranton.

What Did He Say?

Biden put himself in the same category as the people of the town and explained that Trump doesn’t look at the world in the same way as they do. He indicated the former president was an elitist who only cared about himself and his fellow wealthy friends, trying to gain as much control as possible while forcing the rich’s “extreme agenda on the rest of us.” Biden said he wants to help bring the middle and lower class up the ladder, while Trump is only worried about helping the most wealthy. Biden said Trump looks at the economy “through the eyes of Mar-a-Lago,” while he looks at it “through the eyes of Scranton.”

The US leader then laid out part of his tax plan, which included help for first-time homebuyers and expanding the child tax credit, in addition to the increased tax on the most financially fortunate Americans.

The president said the way we can help the country is by having the rich pay their fair share of taxes, proposing a 25% minimum tax for billionaires. He said “fundamental fairness” is the centerpiece of his campaign. Biden took a potshot at Trump for inheriting his wealth, stating that it taught him nothing about getting rich on his own or how the economy really works. He also made fun of Trump’s social media platform, pointing out the plummeting stock.

Responses to Biden’s Speech

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt bashed Biden’s plan stating he was actually “proposing the largest tax hike ever.” Meanwhile, she claimed that Trump “proudly passed the largest tax cuts in history.” But those tax cuts were reportedly unpopular amongst voters, even though they temporarily boosted workers’ pay. The move heavily increased the national debt and is set to expire in 2025. Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA) predicted that Biden will rely on the message of “Scranton versus Fifth Avenue” throughout his campaign, as he did in 2020.

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