President Joe Biden embarks on a three-day campaign tour through Pennsylvania, aiming to present a compelling economic argument against former President Donald Trump. The campaign frames the election as a debate between Biden’s “kitchen table” Scranton perspective and Trump’s “Mar-a-Lago vision.”
The campaign commences Tuesday in Biden’s hometown of Scranton, setting up a stark contrast as Biden hits the campaign trail while Trump spends most of the week in a New York City courtroom for his criminal trial.
“No matter where Donald Trump is, whether it’s in Mar-a-Lago, a courtroom or anywhere else, he’ll be focused on himself, his toxic agenda, his campaign of revenge and retribution. That’s going to be a continuation of the contrast the American people have been able to see since this campaign began,” said Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler.
Biden’s Pennsylvania campaign comes amid efforts to sway voters who hold negative views about his handling of the economy. Recent polls suggest a close race between Biden and Trump, with less than seven months until Election Day.
Biden’s Economic Populism and Tax Policy
Biden’s Tuesday speech is expected to be laden with economic populism, portraying Trump as disconnected from the concerns of everyday Americans. The president will focus on the candidates’ divergent tax policies, outlining how Trump’s tax plan favors the wealthy, leaving the middle class to shoulder the burden.
Biden is campaigning on raising taxes on the wealthy to fund his social and other priorities, while protecting those earning less than $400,000 a year from tax hikes. This approach contrasts with Trump’s pledge to extend the sweeping tax cuts approved by congressional Republicans in 2017, which primarily benefited the rich.
President Biden’s Tax Plans
Biden’s tax plans propose a variety of tax increases on the wealthy and big corporations, aiming to use these funds to bolster Medicare’s finances, create new tax breaks for homebuyers, extend the enhanced child tax credit, reduce childcare costs, and permanently extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, among other initiatives.
His most recent budget proposal calls for a 25% minimum tax on the income of the wealthiest .01% of Americans, including their appreciated assets, which are currently untaxed. This would affect those with a net worth of more than $100 million.
The president also proposes taxing capital gains at the same rate as wage income for those earning more than $1 million and increasing the net investment income tax rate on earned and unearned income above $400,000 to 5%, up from 3.8%.
Trump’s Response
Trump preempted Biden’s speech with a social media post on Monday, praising the 2017 tax cuts and criticizing Biden’s plans to raise taxes for the wealthy and corporations.
“If Joe Biden gets his way you will soon be facing colossal tax hikes, the likes of which no one has ever seen before,” Trump said in a video on Truth Social.
Biden’s Tax Returns
Ahead of the trip, Biden used Tax Day to highlight another contrast with his predecessor by releasing his 2023 tax return. Trump declined to voluntarily release his tax returns as president.
“President Biden believes that all occupants of the Oval Office should be open and honest with the American people,” the White House said in a statement on Monday, “and that the longstanding tradition of annually releasing presidential tax returns should continue unbroken.”
Building Campaign Infrastructure in Pennsylvania
As the campaign continues to build its infrastructure in Pennsylvania, recent polling shows no clear leader in a two-way race between Biden and Trump. The Biden campaign is investing heavily in the commonwealth, focusing particularly on driving turnout in Philadelphia.
Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez released a campaign strategy memo ahead of the visit, highlighting early investments in Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, as well as in the central part of the state in York and Lancaster counties.
Chavez Rodriguez argued Biden’s support for unions, abortion rights, and protecting democracy will resonate with Pennsylvania voters in November.
“With all of these issues remaining salient for voters and Trump and MAGA Republicans only becoming more extreme, they continue to alienate the voters that decide elections in Pennsylvania – and show no signs of being able to win them back,” she wrote.