Republicans Think Tax Breaks from Donald Trump Are Worth Giving Up Their Values

Some Republicans came up with ideological cover for why they voted for Trump. Whether saying they liked his promises to "drain the swamp" of Washington DC, or his so-called outsider perspective, many Trump supporters across the spectrum of the Republican party came up with a variety of reasons for supporting him as a candidate. The reality, however, is that many voted with their wallets. Under Trump's tax plan (as proposed in his campaign plan), the wealthiest Americans overwhelmingly paid less in taxes. “Most of the tax cut went to businesses and higher income individuals who are less likely to spend the increases," according to one report. While Trump and others claimed that the cut was intended to stimulate the economy by loosening taxes on businesses, it overwhelmingly went to extraordinarily wealthy households. The wealthiest 20% of households saw their income increase by nearly 3% under Trump's tax cuts. Especially for those with incomes in the six-figures or higher, 3% is huge. The New York Times went so far as to call Trump's tax plan a "windfall" for wealthy Americans—including Trump himself. While the plan saved money for many Americans, it disproportionately affected the top percentage of earners. Some said the plan was legitimately good for businesses. “You’re going to get a boost in investment,” William Gale, co-director of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, told NYT. “It’s hard to argue that there won’t be a positive effect.” Underneath the guise of supporting Trump for ideological reasons, some fiscal Conservatives may have voted for him for these tax cuts alone.