Ep. 442 - A Big Leftist Myth Implodes On Taxes

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode centers on Ben Shapiro’s defense of Trump’s tax reform and a forceful attack on the UN over its Jerusalem vote. He argues the tax bill is already benefiting workers and companies, while Democrats are driven by envy and misleading rhetoric. He also notes some Trump actions are genuinely conservative, but warns future policy could drift toward less desirable compromises.

Main Topics: UN vote on Jerusalem and anti-UN rant (Priority: 5/5): Shapiro condemns the UN General Assembly’s condemnation of U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, portraying the UN as systematically anti-Israel and morally illegitimate. Trump tax reform and Democratic backlash (Priority: 5/5): He argues the GOP tax bill is pro-growth and that Democrats’ attacks are collapsing as companies announce wage increases, bonuses, hiring, and investment. Envy, redistribution, and the philosophy behind Democratic opposition (Priority: 4/5): Shapiro says Democratic resistance is rooted in jealousy and a belief that government should equalize outcomes by taking from some to give to others. Corporate responses to tax cuts (Priority: 4/5): He uses company announcements like AT&T, Boeing, Comcast, CVS, Wells Fargo, and FedEx to show incentives are changing behavior in ways that help employees and the broader economy. Caution about Trump’s future policy direction (Priority: 3/5): While praising recent conservative wins, Shapiro warns that next year could bring less desirable moves on Obamacare subsidies, DACA, and infrastructure. Media and cultural criticism (Priority: 2/5): He mocks media figures, Nancy Pelosi’s literary references, and Tom Hanks’ anti-Trump stance, while praising an upcoming Ted Kennedy film and an old western as examples of better culture.

Key Arguments: The UN is structurally biased against Israel, so its Jerusalem vote is politically irrelevant and morally compromised. Trump’s tax reform is producing real-world benefits: bonuses, wage increases, hiring plans, and investment announcements. Democratic opposition relies more on resentment and class envy than on strong economic evidence. Corporations respond to tax incentives; money does not simply disappear or stay idle when tax rates fall. Shapiro accepts deficit concerns in principle, but says they are a spending problem rather than an argument against tax cuts themselves. Removing the individual mandate does not equal repealing Obamacare, because the regulatory structure remains in place. Trump’s recent legislative record is the most conservative policy sequence Shapiro has seen in decades, but he is not convinced the trend will continue. Democratic rhetoric about victims of the tax bill is exaggerated and often based on fictionalized or misleading examples.

Data Points: UN Human Rights Council resolutions against Israel: 68 of 135 - From June 2006 to June 2016, half of all country-criticizing resolutions targeted Israel. UN Human Rights Council total country criticism resolutions: 135 - Total resolutions criticizing countries over the referenced decade. UN General Assembly resolutions against Israel: 83 of 97 - From 2012 through 2015, the GA’s country-criticizing resolutions overwhelmingly targeted Israel. UN General Assembly total country criticism resolutions: 97 - Total resolutions criticizing countries from 2012 to 2015. UNESCO resolutions against Israel: Nearly all annual resolutions - Shapiro says UNESCO adopts about 10 resolutions a year, and all but one in recent years were against Israel. Corporate tax rate change: 35% to 21% - Shapiro cites the GOP tax reform as a major rate reduction likely to spur growth. AT&T bonus: $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 employees - Announced as Trump signed the bill into law. AT&T investment: $1 billion additional investment in 2018 - Company response to the tax bill. Boeing investment: $300 million - Announced in corporate giving, workforce development, facilities, and infrastructure. Fifth Third Bank wage floor: $15 per hour - Bank announced a minimum wage increase after the tax reform. Fifth Third bonus: $1,000 bonus to more than 14,500 employees - Another employee-focused response to the tax bill. Comcast bonuses: $1,000 bonuses to over 100,000 employees - Frontline and non-executive employees were targeted. Comcast infrastructure investment: $50 billion over 5 years - Planned based on the passage of tax reform. FedEx annual profit increase: $1.3 billion - FedEx cited profit gains and hiring expansion due to the bill. CVS jobs: 3,000 permanent new jobs - Company said it would create jobs if the bill passed. Trump approval rating: Still in the 30s - Shapiro argues it should be much higher given the economy and tax win. UNGA Jerusalem vote: 128 to 9 - Breaking news at the end of the transcript; the UN voted against U.S. recognition of Jerusalem. Individual mandate repeal timing: Effective through the tax bill, not a full Obamacare repeal - Shapiro distinguishes between mandate repeal and dismantling the entire ACA.

Pivotal Quotes: "Why in the world would I have to care about that?" — Ben Shapiro: On the UN voting against U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "It’s a brazen heist of the country." — Seth Meyers: Shapiro quotes Meyers to criticize Democratic messaging against the tax bill. "If Sally gets a tax cut of $380 but others get $200,000, she will be upset." — Ted Lieu: Shapiro uses this tweet to argue Democrats are appealing to envy rather than policy.

Implications: Listeners are left with a strong pro-tax-cut, anti-UN, anti-Democrat framing: the tax bill is depicted as already producing tangible economic wins, while UN condemnation of Israel is treated as meaningless. Shapiro signals possible future GOP compromises and says the next policy battles will determine whether this conservative turn continues.