Protesters are seen outside the Senate Budget Committee hearing room. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
GOP's Senate tax bill met with protests across country
The Republicans are all behind it, but there's dissent in the streets
Jarrett Lyons
November 29, 2017 6:19PM (UTC)
The GOP's controversial tax bill was pushed through in a Senate budget committee vote Tuesday in a simple vote straight down party lines. The GOP was all for it, Democrats were all against it. But you knew that was coming.
The simplicity of the vote, however, was not reflected in communities across. Protesters came out in force on both local and federal platforms to speak out against the bill that analysts say would benefit the wealthy and raise taxes on the poor and middle-classes.
The protests ranged from the comically entertaining to the desperately serious, resulting in arrests.
Senator John Cornyn's office in Austin, Texas was treated to stop-light performances of ABBA's "Money, Money, Money"dressed as Fosse-esque dancers in top hats with a Trump impersonator putting money in their hats.
In Rhode Island, Bob Graves of the group, "Indivisible Rhode Island" performed a parody of the "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," entitled "'Twas the night before Taxes."
More traditional street protests were carried out in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
In some cases, protesters straight to the offices of their members of Congress, like in Montana and Virginia, where Mr. Moneybags of Monopoly fame dropped off a satirical check to Rep. Tom Garrett. In Ohio, protesters portrayed Rob Portman as a Grinch and sang Christmas song parodies outside his office.
In the most extreme cases, like on the actual floor of the Senate hearing, 36 protesters who illegally entered the floor were arrested.
RT brynnaquillin: Activists are being arrested protesting the GOP tax bill at the Senate Budget Committee hearing #TrumpTaxScam #TaxScam #NotOnePenny pic.twitter.com/EKSAjkWiVU
— BernieCrats 4 Warren (@BernieCrats1) November 28, 2017
Protesters, some in wheelchairs, removed from Senate budget hearing while chanting "Shame on you!" and "Don't kill us, kill the bill." pic.twitter.com/EoeJtGC6Cu — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 28, 2017
Basically, the only place this bill is truly popular is on the Republican side of the aisle.
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Check out this article! https://www.salon.com2017/11/29/gops-senate-tax-bill-met-with-protests-across-country/