Quick News: Trump's Taxes and the Election

On Sunday, the New York Times reported that in both 2016 and 2017 Trump paid only $750 in federal income tax and paid nothing at all in 10 out of the last 15 years due to heavy company losses.

Many pundits and media outlets are reporting this as a major loss for the Trump campaign-- especially so close to the first presidential debate.

The AP reported that this new knowledge may swing public opinion around Trump as he appealed to working class people as a "hugely successful businessman".

While there is a good line of attack here for Democrats--that billionaire Trump paid less in taxes than most working-class people for a decade--this will likely not have a major impact on approval ratings or polling. 

Despite all of his many gaffes, controversies, and policy blunders Donald Trump's approval rating and general election polling have remained historically stable. This seems to indicate an extremely partisan election and one in which most voters have already made up their mind.

Biden and the Democrats should certainly push Trump on his taxes and challenge his prowess as a businessman. But, they should also be wary that such news will do little to dissuade Trump's hard core base.

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