Senator James Lankford: Individual Mandate A Tax On Low-Income People | Morning Joe

>>> WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT INSERTING THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE
REPEAL WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THE VIEW OF THE
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS AS WELL.
>> HEALTH CARE IS BACK. THAT WAS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
ANNOUNCING A PLAN TO INCLUDE A REPEAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE
TO HELP PAY FOR THE SENATE TAX REFORM BILL.
IT COMES JUST A DAY AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLED FOR THE
MOVE. SENATE INTELLIGENCE AND
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES, REPUBLICAN SENATOR JAMES
LANGFORD OF OKLAHOMA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING ON
THE SHOW THIS MORNING. >> GLAD TO BE WITH YOU.
GOOD MORNING. >> IS THIS GOING TO MAKE IT MORE
DIFFICULT TO GET THIS PASSED NOW WITH THE HEALTH CARE ELEMENT?
>> I DON'T THINK IT WILL, ACTUALLY.
HAVE YOU PRETTY STRONG AGREEMENT AMONG REPUBLICANS THAT WE DON'T
LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. THE REASON IS THAT IT'S A TAX
PUT DIRECTLY ON PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD IT THE LEAST.
IN MY STATE IN OKLAHOMA, 81% OF THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THE
INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TAX MAKE LESS THAN $50,000 A YEAR.
THIS WAS A TAX THAT INTENDED TO PUSH PEOPLE TO BUY INSURANCE BUT
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD IT THE LEAST.
>> SAM STEIN? >> TWO QUESTIONS ACTUALLY ON THE
BILL. ONE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE
CORPORATE TAX CUTS IN THE SENATE BILL WILL BE PERMANENT.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> BUT THE INDIVIDUAL TAX CUTS
WILL EXPIRE AFTER TEN YEARS FOR PURPOSES OF SATISFYING
PROCEDURAL ELEMENTS THAT REQUIRE THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE IT PAST TEN
YEARS. WHY SHOULD CORPORATE TAX CUTS BE
PERMANENT BUT INDIVIDUAL TAX CUTS LAPSE AFTER TEN YEARS?
>> VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN 2001.
IN 2011 THERE WAS A RENEWAL OF THAT TAX.
IN 2001 CONGRESS DID THE SAME THING, THROUGH RECONCILIATION.
THOSE RATES WERE ALL EXTENDED IN 2011 THEN FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
>> YOU IMAGINE THESE INDIVIDUAL RATES WILL BE EXTENDED AFTER TEN
YEARS? >> I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD,
ACTUALLY. THOSE SHOULD STAY VERY
CONSISTENT. >> WHICH BRINGS TO MY SECOND
QUESTION. YOU WARNED AGAINST CONCERNS
ABOUT THE DEBT AND DEFICIT AS RECENTLY AS YOUR "MEET THE
PRESS" APPEARANCE. IF THE CORPORATE RATES REMAIN
REDUCED PERMANENTLY, HOW DOES THAT SATISFY YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT
RISING DEBT AND DEFICIT IF PAST THE TEN-YEAR WINDOW THEY'LL
CONTINUE FOR AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE?
>> NOT AS RECENTLY AS "MEET THE PRESS" BUT AS RECENTLY AS
YESTERDAY I BROUGHT THIS UP WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WE FOCUS IN ON THIS.THIS.
TEN YEARS FROM NOW WE'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT LOOK OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING AND WHERE WE ARE WITH ECONOMIC GROWTH, EVALUATE IT AND
MAKE THE DECISION AT THAT TIME. YOU CAN'T GUESS WHAT THE TAX
RATE IS GOING TO BE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
IF YOU DO, YOU PULL BACK AND DON'T INVEST.
THAT MEANS JOBS DON'T GROW, YOU DON'T HAVE GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY
AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE HIGHER WAGES.
WE HAVE TO CREATE SOME KIND OF CURRENCY.
WE'LL EVALUATE THE ECONOMY TEN YEARS FROM NOW.
WHOEVER IS AT THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AT THAT POINT AND HAVE TO
EVALUATE IT. WE HAVE TO HAVE CONSISTENT
SPENDING OR WE'LL NEVER GET ON TOP OF THE DEBT AND DEFICIT.
>> MIKE? >> REPEAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL
MANDATE, AND THE SALT ASPECT, STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUES,
WHAT'S THE RESULT OF THAT WITHIN THE SENATE BILL?
>> STATE AND LOCAL TACKS IN THE SENATE BILL ARE NOT AGREED TO AT
ALL. WE SET THOSE COMPLETELY ASIDE.
THE HOUSE ACTUALLY TOOK THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX AND SAID
WE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE TO STATE INCOME TAX, LOCAL TAXES
BUT WILL ALLOW THE PROPERTY TAX TO BE IN THERE.
IT WILL BE A NEGOTIATING POINT BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE
DURING THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT IT
GETS INCLUDED BACK IN THAT DURING NEGOTIATIONS?
YES, IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SET THIS
OUT AS A PARAMETER AND BE ABLE TO -- AS FAR AS THE POLITICS OR
ECONOMICS OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF
BOTH ACTUALLY. CLEARLY PEOPLE AROUND THE
COUNTRY THAT ARE PAYING THIS FINE THAT MAKE LESS THAN $50,000
EACH YEAR, IT'S ECONOMICS FOR THEM PERSONALLY.
THERE IS A POLITICAL ASPECT, AS THERE IS WITH EVERYTHING IN THIS
TOWN, TO SAY WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE PARTS THAT'S
MOST TOXIC TO INDIVIDUALS. THIS DOES REMOVE THE FINE FOR
PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT. >> THE ESTIMATES ARE BECAUSE YOU
WILL HAVE FEWER HEALTHY PEOPLE IN THESE EXCHANGES BECAUSE
THEY'RE NOT COMPELLED TO BUY INSURANCE BY THE MANDATE THAT
THEY'LL BE STUCK WITH SICKER PEOPLE AND INSURERS WILL HAVE TO
RAISE PREMIUMS, ESTIM ESTIMATED 10%.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH A BILL THAT WOULD FACILITATE A JACKING
UP OF PREMIUMS BY 10% IN ORDER TO HAVE A PERMANENT CORPORATE
TAX CUT? >> I AM LOOKING AT ALL THE
ASPECTS OF IT. THOSE ESTIMATES OF PEOPLE SAYING
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MANDATE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BUY THE
PRODUCT. PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THE
SUBSIDIES ARE ON THE PRODUCT. THEY'RE ALL RECEIVING THAT.
PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEY DON'T WANT TO ALSO PAY THE
FINE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION FOR
BOTH INDIVIDUALS. ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FOR
THE GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE OR TALK ABOUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS
THAT ARE HARMED BY THIS. 81% OF PEOPLE THAT PAY THIS FINE
IN MY STATE MAKE LESS THAN $50,000.
THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE INSURANCE AND THEY CAN ALSO NOT AFFORD THE
FINE. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME WAY TO
GET INSURANCE AND HAVE IT, NOT JUST HAVE A FINE AND STILL HAVE
NO INSURANCE. >> SENATOR, BEFORE YOU GO, WE
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS ON THE SITUATION WITH ROY MOORE,
ESPECIALLY AS NEW INFORMATION SEEMS TO BE DEVELOPING BY THE
HOUR. >> RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY, INCREDIBLY SAD FOR THOSE GIRLS THAT WERE AFFECTED
DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, THEIR FAMILIES AND THE NATION.
PEOPLE OF ALABAMA ARE HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION ON SOMEONE WHO
HAD IMMORAL BEHAVIOR OR SOMEONE THEY DON'T LIKE THEIR POLITICS
ON. >> SHOULD HE STEP OUT OF THE
RACE? >> I DO BELIEVE THAT HE SHOULD,
ACTUALLY, AND SHOULD GIVE THE PEOPLE OF ALABAMA A BETTER
CHOICE TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS NEXT PROCESS.
I AM PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THE NATION, THOUGH, IS
TALKING ABOUT MORAL ISSUES AND TRYING TO HOLD LEADERS TO A
HIGHER ACCOUNT. THAT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR OUR
NATION. I THINK THAT SHOULD CONTINUE,
WHETHER THAT'S IN HOLLYWOOD WITH ALL THE HARASSMENT BEING EXPOSED
NOW, CAPITOL HILL. >> MEDIA.
>> MEDIA, ANYWHERE IT MAY BE. IF AMERICANS HOLD EACH OTHER TO
A HIGHER STANDARD THAT IS HELPFUL TO US LONG TERM.
PAINFUL IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH IT, BUT HELPFUL LONG
TERM. WE WANT TO SET A HIGHER
STANDARDS FOR OUR KID. >> COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU
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Senator James Lankford: Individual Mandate A Tax On Low-Income People | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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