This SC congressman called the tax bill a ‘scam’ and ‘cruelty,’ while others cheer it

Six of South Carolina’s seven members of the House of Representatives voted for the tax bill Tuesday.

Not surprisingly, they are all Republicans.

Less of a surprise was the reaction to the Republican-backed legislation from South Carolina’s lone Democrat in the House.

“The Ryan/McConnell tax bill should be named, ‘the Republican Donor-Class Relief Act,’ ” U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn wrote on Twitter.

The House passed the tax plan on a near-party-line vote. It passed by a vote of 227 to 203, with two uncast votes.

When Clyburn spoke about the tax bill on the floor of Congress, he used another derogatory word to describe it. Scam.

“I rise in strong opposition to the Ryan/McConnell tax-scam bill,” Clyburn said. “This tax-scam bill represents a grotesque set of priorities revealing deep depravity of American values.”

S.C. Republicans Mark Sanford, Joe Wilson, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Ralph Norman and Tom Rice voted for the bill, which is expected to give President Donald Trump his most significant legislative victory to date. Conversely, Clyburn stood in opposition to the bill he said is against the principles upon which America was founded.

“This bill violates that principle by lowering the marginal rates on the wealthiest among us by 2.6 points; while raising those rates on ‘the least among us’ by 2 points,” the Columbia Democrat said.

Clyburn proceeded to go point-for-point over the issues in the bill that he finds most disturbing, pointing out that the bill:

• Doubles the estate tax exemption from $11 million to $22 million
• Lowers tax rates for corporations by 14 points while raising taxes on 86 million middle income families
• Makes tax cuts for corporations permanent and the “miniscule” individual cuts temporary
• Kicks 13 million people off their health insurance and increasing premiums for millions more
• Caps deductions for state and local taxes, and home mortgages

“Our children and grandchildren will be left with the bill,” Clyburn said. “Mr. Speaker, history will not treat kindly the crass cruelty of this so-called Christmas ‘gift’ to hard-working Americans.”

Wilson took a much different approach to the impact of the bill.

“Today, House Republicans made history by passing the first meaningful tax cuts bill in a generation,” Wilson tweeted. “By cutting taxes, we create jobs and provide opportunities for families across our state and country.”

Sanford, the former S.C. governor, wasn’t as ardent of a supporter of the bill. In spite of reservations, Sanford ultimately voted yes.

“After much back and forth in my office over the provisions of the bill that I did not like, I ultimately voted yes on the tax bill,” Sanford tweeted. “On the whole, I believe that the bill represents more good than bad for the people of (S.C.’s) First District and the country as a whole.”

In a series of tweets, Duncan took a shot at Democrats as he voiced his support for the tax bill.

“Where were these Democrats when we were raising the alarm about National debt as it exploded since 2008 under Obama Admin runaway spending?” Duncan wrote. “GOP Tax Reform Plan will put more Americans back 2 work, lessen govt spending, create more taxpayers, increasing revenues from new taxpayers.”

Norman mentioned Trump in a tweet, as he shared his enthusiasm with the passage of the bill.

“I look forward to send this bill to @POTUS's desk before Christmas so that we can create jobs, increase paychecks, grow our economy, and improve lives,” Norman wrote.

Rice took a similar approach as many of his Republican colleagues. He listed the virtues of the tax bill on Twitter.

“This legislation WILL: Bring American jobs back to America. Grow our middle class. Give our middle class the pay raise it deserves!” Rice tweeted.

This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "This SC congressman called the tax bill a ‘scam’ and ‘cruelty,’ while others cheer it."