Trump horrifies GOP leadership by demanding the tax legislation be called 'The Cut Cut Cut Act'
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Everyone should have learned the lesson about unreservedly allowing people to name things back with Boaty McBoatface, but House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) apparently didn't get the memo. A House aide told ABC News on Wednesday that Ryan asked President Trump to name the GOP tax plan, which is due to be released Thursday — but Trump came back with "The Cut Cut Cut Act."
Naturally, everyone hates it. "Ryan and [House Ways and Means Committee Chairman] Kevin Brady have pushed back on the naming of the bill," ABC News writes. "However, Trump has held firm."
Trump also said Wednesday — the day the bill was supposed to be released, before being postponed 24 hours — that Republicans should make a last-minute change to address an Affordable Care Act fix. "Wouldn't it be great to repeal the very unfair and unpopular individual mandate in ObamaCare and use those savings for further tax cuts," Trump pondered on Twitter.
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Trump added that he would "be blaming" Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn if the tax plan fails. "Believe me, they'll be hearing from me," Trump joked, miming making what one can only imagine would be a very miserable phone call. Watch some of his comments below via The Washington Post. Jeva Lange
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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