Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va) sparred with Republican senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) on Monday over Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Wicker said there will be protections for Trump’s tax cuts if Republicans take back control of both chambers of Congress after the midterms.
But, Manchin reiterated his support for rolling back portions of the Trump tax cuts.
“The cuts of 2017 was the only thing that every Democrat agreed was weighted unfairly. That was our impression,” Manchin said. “What we need is a competitive tax code that spins off enough for us in the United States to take care of ourselves, pay down our debt, and live within our means. You can’t do that with the existing tax code we have unless you slash everything to the bone.”
“You’ve just heard it. If Democrats continue in government, they’re likely to chip away at the most successful tax cut the United States has ever seen,” Wicker said.
“The most regressive tax cut,” Manchin responded.
When Manchin opposed ‘Build Back Better’ he said at the time that he would support a new legislation if it goes through Senate committees and focus on rolling back the 2017 Trump tax cuts.
“We have one chance at this, OK? You have a chance to fix the tax code that makes it fair and equitable,” Manchin said. “So if we all disagree with Republicans’ reconciliation on tax cuts, don’t you think we can sit down and fix a fair and equitable tax code?”
Though Manchin supports raising corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthy, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) opposed it which means it is dead in the 50-50 Senate.
