Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is teaming with Job Creators Network, one of the nation’s largest pro-jobs grassroots organizations, to embark on a nationwide tour aimed at putting pressure on Congress to send a small business-spurring tax bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.
“I’m optimistic we might be able to get a pretty good consensus on tax cuts and get it passed and signed by Thanksgiving,” Gingrich told the Hill.
“If we don’t do something like that, we are in real trouble, and we have a real chance of having Nancy Pelosi as the next of Speaker of the House,” said Gingrich, who is also an adviser to the president.
In partnership with Freedom Works, Job Creators Network will start the “Axes to Taxes” tour on July 29, with stops in major swing states of Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
Citing a new survey of 500 small business owners, Job Creators Network president and CEO Alfredo Ortiz said, “If you want to create an economic revival on Main Street, then give tax dollars back to small businesses and they will make it happen by reinvesting in jobs, wages and infrastructure.”
The new survey, conducted by Roosevelt Opinion Research, shows that small businessmen would prefer tax cuts over an Obamacare repeal.
A majority, 48.6 percent, said tax cuts would help them grow their businesses, while 26 percent said congressional Democrats were the biggest obstacle to tax reform. Another 20 percent blamed the media, whom President Trump has oft criticized for “fake news.”
There is also a website where people are asked: “Tell us how you’ve been hurt by the tax code right now”:
Gingrich recently met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and outlined what he believes is the best way to pass a bill in both chambers that will jumpstart an already reviving economy.
“I think we need to focus on the art of the possible, and my view is that they should not do anything to risk not getting this done by Thanksgiving. Period,” he said.
Gingrich has also written two op-eds outlining a two-pronged approach to passing what he called a “deficit neutral” tax cut bill.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson.