Former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in response to President Donald Trump's tax cut proposal told Fox News the U.S. government needs to do so by shrinking "the federal budget dramatically."
Trump's team Wednesday proposed a plan that would dramatically cut taxes for corporations, from 35 percent to 15 percent, and reduce the number of personal income tax brackets from seven to three: rates of 10 percent, 25 percent, and 35 percent. It would double the standard deduction for married couples to $24,000 and would also trim other deductions utilized by wealthier Americans.
"I'm all for paying for it by cutting the budget," Jindal, who sought the Republican presidential nomination but dropped out of the race when his polling numbers were showing up flat. "I think we need to shrink the federal budget dramatically."
He added: "I think it's a mistake not to reign in entitlements apart from tax cuts. I think we need to do that anyway. I think the budgets are far too big, I think the debt is far too big. It's not sustainable. We can't simply keep kicking the can down the road. That's separate from tax cuts."
But Trump's Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday entitlement programs were not on the chopping block.
"We are not touching those now," Mnuchin said in reference to Social Security and Medicare. "So don't expect to see that as part of this budget, OK. We are very focused on other aspects, and that's what's very important to us. And that's the president's priority."
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