Illinois' suburban Democrats support middle class tax hikes

Almost everyone is aware of the age-old adage that actions speak louder than words. Occasionally, the public has a high profile and clear-cut opportunity to square the explicit words and campaign promises of the folks they elect to represent them with their actions while in office. Today, that opportunity lies in the debate around President Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better social spending plan that passed the House last month and is being debated in the Senate.

For Illinois' suburban Democratic congressional members, words have been quite clear in their campaigns for office. These candidates' political messaging is often peppered with promises to "fight for the middle class" and to "make the rich pay their fair share." So, imagine my surprise when the left-leaning Tax Policy Center released a report recently that said up to 30% of middle class families would pay more in taxes under the BBB bill.

How do suburban Democrat lawmakers feel about Biden's plan for middle class tax hikes? They support it of course. For example, Rep. Lauren Underwood confidently declared that "we will pass the Build Back Better Act," saying it's a great opportunity to "deliver some strong legislation for the American people." Rep. Sean Casten displayed his displeasure if anyone stood in the way of passing BBB, saying House Democrats made an "agreement with the Senate in principle to go and get Build Back Better done, and all of us are going to be furious if the Senate drops the ball on us." And Rep. Bill Foster tweeted that he joins his New Democrat Coalition colleagues in officially endorsing the BBB framework. All three backed up their glowing reviews of the BBB by voting in favor of the measure when it passed the House in late November.

The framework in question is a massive blow to middle class wallets. Tax Policy Center's analysis concluded: "Taking into account all major tax provisions, roughly 20 percent to 30 percent of middle-income households would pay more in taxes in 2022." Even a left-leaning think tank has come to this conclusion, so you know the BBB must be bad news for working families. Not only is it bad news, it flies in the face of President Biden's repeated promises to not raise anyone's taxes who make less than $400,000 a year.

This isn't the only way the middle class gets fleeced by the plan. On top of tax hikes, working families would have to deal with a continued steep rise in inflation that BBB would accelerate as $200 billion floods the U.S. economy in the first year alone under the plan. Democrats are doubling down on inflation, which represents a regressive "tax" on low- and middle-income families who don't have room in their budgets for precipitous increases in the cost of daily necessities like food and gas.

So the question remains: As the American people struggle to recover from a global pandemic, why would Illinois' suburban Democrats support and vote for a plan that increases taxes for a third of middle class families and exacerbates the detrimental effects of inflation?

A few Democratic members who currently represent swing suburban districts have had to convince independents and some Republicans that they are a moderating force on their party and are focused on tax relief for the middle class. Their actions speak louder than their words.

• Don Tracy, a businessman and attorney from Springfield, is the Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party.