WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized “Comrade Kamala” Harris on Tuesday after she described “centralized price controls” and trillions of dollars in new government spending as part of her economic agenda — suggesting the plan sounds like something created by Oprah Winfrey.
At the America First Policy Institute forum in Washington, D.C., Johnson (R-La.) pledged to reverse the “big government socialist experiment” that President Biden and Vice President Harris have presided over for the past four years.
“Candidate 'Comrade Kamala' Harris — as President Trump calls her — now wants to take this to an entirely different level,” the House speaker said.
“If you look at her short election speeches, this is all she talks about more centralized price controls And new government spending programs,
“And everybody gets a car,” he joked. “It’s like Oprah is running for president.”
Johnson also spoke with Trump's former National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow, who criticized many of Harris's recent economic proposals.
Economists have estimated that his plans would cost more than $1.7 trillion, with more than $1.5 trillion in costs included. $50,000 tax deduction for new small businesses$25,000 in aid to first-time homebuyers and a $6,000 tax rebate for low- and middle-income families with children one year of age or younger.
Johnson laid out a “very aggressive” list of counter-objectives for Republicans’ first 100 days if they win unified government in November — with a primary focus on “extending and building upon” the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which expires at the end of 2025.
“We will continue these cuts to spur job creation, along with a doubled guaranteed deduction and a stronger child tax credit,” he promised.
“But unlike the Democrats’ proposal, we will ensure that our tax policy respects the dignity of work and doesn’t pay people more to stay out of the workforce.”
Johnson also stressed that “the days of allowing China to steal our jobs, exploit our trade deals and undermine our manufacturing sector are gone.”
The House speaker said, “It is clearly not in our national interest to remain dependent on the Communists for our energy, critical minerals and pharmaceuticals. And we know it is not in our national interest to support the economy of our biggest geopolitical adversary.”
Republican lawmaker says China is meddling in 2024 election as Harris proposes 28% corporate tax rateHe said this would be “at least 30% more than any other Chinese competitor.”
He also blamed the Harris-Biden administration for hampering American oil and gas production and spending wastefully on renewable alternatives through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which he said “costs twice as much as it is advertised and is sending our taxpayer dollars to China.”
Johnson, a high school drama buff, couldn’t resist getting the crowd excited by his imitation of Trump.
“Nobody talks about energy independence,” the former president told Republicans in the House. Capitol Hill Breakfast “Dominance — dominance,” Johnson said in June.
These efforts could be coupled with the rollback of some Harris-Biden spending programs and a new Government Efficiency Commission, proposed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and supported by Trump, to complete a federal audit of all financial waste, fraud, and abuse.
Johnson was optimistic about the plan.
“President Trump wants to deal a blow to the regulatory state — and I want to help him hold it together,” the House speaker told attendees.
However, at the same time as the forum, the 45th president was posting on his Truth Social the state and local tax (SALT) deduction he authorized as part of the 2017 law he signed, which will drive up the cost of a revised tax law, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. $1.2 trillion,
“I'd change it, bring back SALT, lower your taxes, and more,” Trump said. Mortgage“I will work with the Democrat governor and mayor to make sure there is funding to get New York State back to levels it hasn’t seen in 50 years.”
That price tag would further complicate Republican efforts to reduce spending.
