Senators return from thanksgiving break next week. Former texas senator phil graham, visiting scholar in American Enterprise institute. Senator, great to see you. Thanks for coming in. Great to see you, paul. Paul you have seen a lot of tax legislation in your day, helped pass good legislation, how do you see the two bills now just as policy, as tax and Economic Policy good or bad . I think they are both good represent good policy. I think the debate is that a lower level than i have before seen, people forget that 56 democrats in the house voted for the reagan tax cut. The tax reform in 1986 got huge bipartisan votes. Its ashame that things are as partisan as they are. Paul yeah, thats where we are right now. I think they will get no democratic votes in the Senate Unless republicans show they can pass it. But do you think theres enough progrowth policy in these bills to energize the economy over next two or three years, get up to 3 growth annually plateau . Well, first of all, the eco
Trump, the year, and a Republican Congress too. How do you size it up . Lets look at the high points. Oh, the high points . Well, we would start with the Tax Reform Act of 2017. That was a very high point. The highest point at the beginning was the confirmation of neil gorsuch to the supreme court. And i suppose we should also mention that there were all of the regulatory rollbacks of obamas regulations using the congressional review act. But once passed, through the end there werent a lot of high points because they spent most of middle of the year trying toc reform obamacare. That was a failure. But, you know, theyve gone off on a true high. The economy is strong, Tax Reform Act should probably propel that economy, so theyve got the winds at their back going into the 2018. Paul we do want to talk about the economy in more detail later, mary, but i think the deregulatory agenda is really both what congress did with the congressional review act. Itd only been used once before, i think
Trump, the year, and a Republican Congress too. How do you size it up . Lets look at the high points. Oh, the high points . Well, we would start with the Tax Reform Act of 2017. That was a very high point. The highest point at the beginning was the confirmation of neil gorsuch to the supreme court. And i suppose we should also mention that there were all of the regulatory rollbacks of obamas regulations using the congressional review act. But once passed, through the end there werent a lot of high points because they spent most of middle of the year trying toc reform obamacare. That was a failure. But, you know, theyve gone off on a true high. The economy is strong, Tax Reform Act should probably propel that economy, so theyve got the winds at their back going into the 2018. Paul we do want to talk about the economy in more detail later, mary, but i think the deregulatory agenda is really both what congress did with the congressional review act. Itd only been used once before, i think
Problems, take care of a lot of problems. It would be really nice to do it in a bipartisan way approximately joining us this week, wall street journal columnist and Columnist Bill mcgern. Bill, lets talk about what the republicans and the democrats can get year . The democrats have to decide whether their strategy for 2018 is to cooperate with trump and extract things they can go back to their base with. Paul the dreamers legalizing the young adults. Or whether theyre just going to say donald trump is the devil and run on that for 2018. But look, donald trump is a dealer. I think theres a lot of potential. But each side has to give. The president has made it clear hell be willing to go with daca to legalize these people in exchange for some border security. Probably some funding for his wall. There are a lot of do i believe things. Thof doablethings. The question is what are being willing to give for the get. Paul lets talk about the democrats and the choice they face. Do they have an
Think his words today, this is the last chance. And nobody should doubt my word. That sounds like a red line to me. Sounds like a red line to me too. [laughter] you know, in a way this is not unusual. This deal is not a treaty, but in treaties often theres a provision for a 90day or 180day notice of withdrawal. That, in effect, is what he served today. Because the idea that congress and europe can somehow change the teal in a way that satisfies the president s concerns is simply not going to happen. Theres a small complication here. Iran is part of the deal, and they have to agree to it. Believe me, theyre not going to do it. Paul no. Theyve already said theyre not going to have anything to do with the renegotiation. Theyll be backed up by russia and china, so the pressure will be on europe to try to come to some accommodation with us. But i dont see them really being eager to do that, because theyre doing a lot of business with their companies are doing a lot of business in iran now.