Well the Doc opened up the old mailbag today and here’s what poured out.
Dear Dr. Ads,
There I was, minding my own business and reading Politico Playbook, who I came across this item.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: TRUMP WORLD’S NEW DeSANTIS ATTACK AD —Meridith McGraw reports that MAGA Inc. PAC is launching a new ad airing on Fox News, CNN and Newsmax. The ad is also running today in four Iowa markets (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Sioux City) and on WMUR in New Hampshire.
The spot attacks Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS’ previous support for a national sales tax with corny but catchy lyrics sung to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Here’s a sample: “Ron ‘DeSalesTax’ had a plan / To make you pay more / With a sales tax here, and a sales tax there / Here a tax, there a tax, everywhere a sales tax.”
What’s up here, Doc? Is this ad just stupid? Or does MAGA Inc think we are?
– Not Quite Sold
Dear NQS,
Looks like a photo finish to us.
Here’s the ad in question.
For those of you keeping score at home, that’s a sales tax hike on eggs, gasoline, steak, washing machines, lawn mowers, electronics, toasters, and takeout – all thanks to the 23% national sales tax DeSantis voted for three times as a Florida congressman.
That claim is half true according to PolitiFact’s Amy Sherman, who noted that “DeSantis co-sponsored Fair Tax bills three times while in Congress. Those proposals would set a national sales tax and replace other federal taxes, including income tax.” Sherman concluded that the statement “is partially accurate but leaves out important details.”
The DeSantis campaign, on the other hand, is conceding nothing, as Kyle Morris reported at Fox News.
“In Congress, the governor supported the concept of a Fair Tax, a plan to lower the overall tax burden on an individual by replacing all federal taxes — including income tax — with a lower tax,” Bryan Griffin, the DeSantis political team press secretary, said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. “The plan also sought to end the IRS, which, at the time, was being weaponized by the Obama administration. To describe only part of the plan in an attack is dishonest.
“In Florida, Gov. DeSantis cut taxes to help families struggling under Biden’s inflation. In 2022, he signed the largest tax relief package in Florida history (more than $1.2 billion for Florida’s families). And, this year, he exceeded that by securing a record $2.7 billion in tax relief, including a permanent sales tax exemption for baby items, back to school and Fourth of July tax holiday, and $500 million in toll relief,” Griffin added.
And, just to twist the knife, Griffin ended with this: “Incidentally, Florida’s favorable tax climate has encouraged a record number of people to move to the Sunshine State, including former President Donald Trump.”
Never Back Down, the pro-DeSantis Super PAC, piled on with this tweet.
As for the eggs, washing machines, gas, takeout, etc. featured in the DeSalesTax spot, they seem to have been chosen at random. Kind of the way facts are in political ads nowadays.
Ask Doctor Ads 