Rep. Israel: GOP tax bill is unfunded giveaway for millionaires; ‘The House is in range’ for Dem. takeover

Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) joins Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien to talk about new GOP tax bill up for a vote in the House of Representatives and the probability of Democrats retaking the House this year.

On the tax bill, Rep. Israel says, “Well, over one half of this so-called small business tax cut goes to people earning over $1 million a year. This is a typical House Republican bait and switch. You put a label on something saying it’s for small businesses, but you give away the store to millionaires. You tell people that because of our debt, we have to dismantle Medicare because we can’t afford it on the one hand. But then you pass a $46 billion tax cut for millionaires that’s not paid for. I’m all for investments in the middle class,giving incentives to small businesses, but this doesn’t make investments and incentives in small businesses and moms and pops in the middle class. This is another unfunded, unpaid for tax give away, giving away the store to people who are earning over $1 million a year.”

On whether or not the Democrats can take the House in November, he says, “I can tell you today, the House is in range. We’ll see what happens in November. The more House Republicans say that we’ve got to end Medicare because we can’t afford it, but keep getting tax cuts to millionaires. The more they divest from the middle class and kick the middle class in the stomach with budgets like the ones that they’re passing, the better our chances.”

Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien airs weekday mornings from 7-9am ET on CNN.