Republicans flop in the first round of debt proposals with unpopular sales tax increase

As Republicans go into talks about whether or not they're willing to raise the debt ceiling, one of their first plans was to dramatically increase sales tax, so those who spend money will be forced to pay more instead of those who make more money. The plan was wildly unpopular and the GOP experienced immediate backlash, even among their own party members. The Democrats saw it as a non-starter.

“I believe it would cause the next Great Depression if we would impose it," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.

As Politico explained Sunday, now even Kevin McCarthy is distancing himself from the idea that he promised the far-right he'd get it through the committee process.

It all came from Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), known for calling the Jan. 6 attack on Congress a "normal tourist visit." he was also one of the few far-right Republicans unwilling to support McCarthy at the start of the Speaker votes. Allowing this bill to come for a vote appears to be part of the deal that McCarthy made with Clyde to score his vote for speaker.

But as Politico explained, just bringing it up makes things very difficult for Republicans at a time when approval ratings are already dropping for the new House.

"Forcing the discussion of the unpopular tax puts the GOP in a political bind that seems doomed to repeat itself for the House’s slim majority," the report said. "McCarthy must walk a tightrope between appeasing the renegade factions of his caucus and disassociating the party from policy proposals that could hurt Republicans at the ballot box."

The CNN Poll shows 73 percent of Americans say House Republicans are not focusing on the country's top problems. There are just 27 percent of Americans that believe the House GOP's priorities are in the right place. It doesn't bode well for Republicans as they begin debt ceiling battles with the president.

“You gotta be kidding me. What in God’s name is this all about?” Biden responded Thursday when asked about the plan.

Read the full report at Politico.