Lawler’s Newsletter on SALT Deduction Defeat Was Misleading
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler is at it again. In a recent newsletter, he bemoans the fact that his bill for restoring a portion of the tax deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) was rejected by the House of Representatives. He (of course) places the blame for that rejection solely on the Democrats.
However, Mr. Lawler neglects to mention three important facts. First, the elimination of the SALT deduction was imposed by a Republican Congress as part of the Trump tax bill of 2017. Second, the Republicans have a majority, however slim, in the House and can pass whatever they want. Yet 18 of Mr. Lawler’s Republican colleagues defied him and voted against his SALT legislation, dooming it to defeat.
Finally, Mr. Lawler, always the self-proclaimed champion of bipartisanship, had recruited Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) to co-sponsor his legislation. Yet Ms. Sherrill voted against the resolution advancing the bill. Why? Because the Republican House leadership decided to pair the SALT bill in the vote with another resolution that condemned President Biden’s energy policies. And no Democrat, in fact no one who actually cares about the ravages of climate change and future of our country, could possibly support such a measure.
So, come on Mr. Lawler. Many of us in the Hudson Valley, and Ms. Sherrill as well, would dearly love to restore the SALT deduction. But don’t go blaming the failure of your bill on the Democrats when your fellow Republicans couldn’t muster up enough votes to pass it. And next time, how about bringing it up by itself, rather than tying it to a known poison pill for the other party – and all other patriotic Americans.
How about being straight with us for a change? We’re really getting tired of the half-truths and the hypocrisy.
And, if you voters have had enough of this, next November vote for Democrat Mondaire Jones for Congress in the 17th Congressional District. His campaign is just getting started, but you can be sure that he will not lie to you or taunt you with half-truths. And we will once again have a congressman of whom we can be proud.
Joel E. Gingold
Croton-on-Hudson
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