Our federal government has never taxed its citizens on the earnings they have already paid to their state governments as taxes. This allows each state to be an independent laboratory of democracy. Each state can decide for itself how much to tax and spend on such things as police, roads, schools and social services.
The Republican Party has long claimed to be a supporter of states’ rights. Why, then, does the proposed tax bill eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes? How can a party that supports states’ rights justify taxing citizens on earnings they have paid to their state governments?