Now Is Not the Time for Trump to Push for Tax Reform

According to White House chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, President Donald Trump will begin campaigning for his long-awaited tax reform plan this week. Late last week, Cohn said the announcement would be made this Wednesday while the President visits Missouri.

Given Trump’s record so far in passing key legislation that are essentially his campaign promises, the president faces a difficult task. This assessment was made even before Hurricane Harvey paralyzed Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast area and North Korea fired a missile over Japan.

With these two events currently at the forefront, it is going to be very difficult for Trump to get his message across to the taxpayers and anything he says or does to promote his plan is likely to be brushed to the wayside.

In addition to the hurricane disaster and North Korea’s defiance, Trump is going to have to overcome a split in his own Republican party as well as unifying a nation that seems to have other key issues on their minds right now. Trump, who is known for his salesmanship, is going to have to convince taxpayers with clarity and conviction that cutting taxes and simplifying the tax code are urgent priorities at this time.

Given the mounting events facing the country, I would advise the President to refrain from making any push towards tax reform until the situation improves in Houston and some kind of peace treaty is worked out with North Korea. If he pursues this matter on Wednesday, he risks losing whatever support he has to get new tax legislation passed by Congress.

After failing to overturn Obamacare, or get the ball rolling on increased infrastructure spending, some are saying that tax reform remains the last best chance for the White House and the Republican Party to put aside their growing differences and rally around a common ideological cause.

This may be a valid conclusion, but the timing is not right especially since the legislature may be bogged down with important issues such as increased federal aid for Houston, or providing additional funding for the government’s national flood insurance program.

With most of the nation convinced, in my opinion, that any tax reform plan is likely to benefit richer Americans, Trump is going to have a hard time selling his plan to middle-class Americans who are watching the disastrous events in Houston wondering, “what if that was me.”

So Mr. President, please don’t Tweet about tax reform, please don’t hold a press conference on the issue, please don’t have a rally, just don’t bring up the topic of tax reform at all this week.