The Patriot Post® · For Democrats, Tax Reform IS Armageddon

Republicans in the House and Senate are in the process of reconciling their respective tax reform bills, which means agitated Democrats are fomenting fear and trepidation. Nancy Pelosi introduced an outlandish rant against tax reform in October, when she hysterically asserted, “This tax bill is Armageddon.” With tax reform nearing completion, she is regurgitating this garbage-filled talking point, claiming again, “It is the end of the world. … This is Armageddon. This is a very big deal.”

In a sense, this isn’t hyperbole for Democrats. Their power and political influence depends on the redistribution of wealth, so in a way this is the end of their world.

In the real world, however, tens of millions of middle class Americans aren’t complaining about the extra money they’ll pocket if Republicans prevail. Democrats, however, are of the opinion that any boon to “the wealthy” — even if it’s disproportionately less — is more than enough reason to quash tax reform and therefore justifies their efforts to derail it. But the Democrats’ broader strategic angle is to protect their statist endeavors. To accomplish this, they routinely inflict discord by way of hyperbole.

Columnist David Harsanyi hits on this in a new piece: “How did so many liberals convince themselves that tax reform (a rare cut that is, according to sometime-reliable Washington Post factcheckers, only the eighth largest in history) signals the implosion of American life? Everyone tends to dramatize the consequences of policy for effect, of course, but a Democratic Party drifting towards Bernie-ism is far more likely to perceive cuts in taxation as limiting state control and thus an attack on all decency and morality. Taxation is the finest tool of redistribution, so it’s understandable.”

But it’s also not excusable. Hysteria, hyperbole and falsehoods are a proven way for malcontents to breed resentment. At which point those who feel resentment are vulnerable to exploitation, which Democrats pursue without even thinking twice. Pelosi’s vexation is no excuse for absurdly hyperbolic remarks chock full of lies. Until subjectivity and relativism are tossed aside, vitriol and the speedy trend toward tribal politics will worsen. A little homework on the part of every American would defuse the situation and render these tirades ineffective.

(Updated.)