OPINION:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, have made a big mistake. As the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate they encouraged “resistance” to the Republicans, especially the Republicans in the Trump administration. That has meant only opposition — no compromise or negotiation. The result is shown in the new tax laws, which had no Democratic input or support.
While these new tax laws greatly benefit most Americans, five states suffer: California and New York, as well as New Jersey, Connecticut and Illinois. The wealthy taxpayers in these state have lost much of the state and local tax deductions in their federal income tax. I expect that many of them will end up moving to other, lower-tax states.
While the Democrats’ punish-the-GOP moves might have seemed politically smart at the time, their long-term effects will do damage to the economic growth of these five high-tax states. Hopefully, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer will have learned their lesson, but I am not hopeful.
ARTHUR HORN
Boca Raton, Fla.
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