ICYMI: Price pain is real, Republican relief is fiction: Iowans are paying more so billionaires pay less

Nunn and Miller-Meeks back misleading push as costs keep rising

DES MOINES — While Republicans in Congress spent time last week on a meaningless resolution to reaffirm their support for the Republican Tax Law, Iowans are still living with the consequences: higher costs, tighter budgets, and an economy that isn’t working for them.

Representatives Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks supported the measure in an attempt to promote Republicans policies, but taxpayers in Iowa, and nationwide, know they’re paying too much. 

This tax law was never about helping working families. It was designed to deliver massive tax breaks to corporations and billionaires. Nunn and Miller-Meeks voted for Trump’s tariffs, which function as a massive tax increase on everyday Americans. They supported historic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP that pull money out of local economies. They allowed health care and energy costs to rise. And now they’re pointing to minor provisions in the Republican Tax Law in an attempt to distract us. But the pain dealt by Republican price hikes and billionaire giveaways is too strong to trick Iowans into thinking otherwise. 

For working Iowans, the math doesn’t come close. Generally, taxpayers say they felt no relief from the Republican Tax Law. Any limited tax break tied to tips or overtime is quickly wiped out by higher prices at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and on monthly bills. Most workers don’t qualify for the minor benefits in the first place but many who do will lose Medicaid and SNAP, programs Republicans took an ax to in the tax plan they’re boasting.

“Republicans are trying to paper over tax breaks for billionaires, but Iowans aren’t buying it,” said Mazie Stilwell, Executive Director of Progress Iowa. “The refunds for workers are smaller than promised, and don’t come close to making up for higher costs and cuts Nunn and Miller-Meeks made to programs like SNAP and Medicaid. People aren’t getting ahead, they’re barely staying afloat, using that money for basic necessities. Meanwhile, our representatives are standing by tax breaks for billionaires and backing a war that’s pushing prices even higher at home.”

The reality behind Republicans’ latest vote: a coordinated effort to paper over an economic agenda that shifts costs onto working families while handing enormous tax breaks to those at the very top. While Iowans are stretching every dollar to get by, corporations are raking in billions and the wealthiest Americans are seeing some of the largest tax cuts in history. And instead of fixing what’s broken, Nunn and Miller-Meeks are doubling down.