WATCH: Beto Dodges 70% Tax Rate Question, Starts Speaking Spanish
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
By
AMANDA PRESTIGIACOMO
@AMANDAPRESTO
June 26, 2019
42.8k views
During the first primary Democratic debate on Wednesday night, failed senate candidate Robert ‘Beto’ O’Rourke dodged his first question of the night, which concerned his potential support of a 70% margin tax rate.
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“Some Democrats want marginal, individual tax rate of 70% of the very highest earners, those making more than $10 million a year,” asked debate moderator Savannah Guthrie. “Would you support that, and if not, what would be your top individual rate be?”
“This economy has got to work for everyone, and right now, we know that it isn’t,” O’Rourke sidestepped. “And it’s gonna take all of us coming together to make sure that it does.”
Taking up his limited time, the Democrat then started speaking in Spanish. Here's what he said, translated
via Time magazine:
“We need to include every person in the success of this economy. But if we want to do that, we have to include every person in our democracy. Every vote needs representation and every voice needs to be heard.”
“Right now we have a system that favors those who can pay for access and outcomes, that’s how you explain an economy that is rigged to corporations and to the very wealthiest,” O'Rourke continued in English. “A $2 trillion tax cut that favored corporations while they were sitting on record piles of cash for the very wealthiest in this country at a time of historic wealth inequality."
"A new democracy that is revived because we have returned power to the people; no PACs, no gerrymandering, automatic and same-day registration to bring in more voters and a newer voting rights act to get rid of the barriers that are in place, now," spouted O'Rourke. "That’s how we each have a voice in our democracy and make this economy work for everybody."
“That’s time, sir,” Guthrie notified the candidate, offering him 10 seconds to answer the question he dodged.
“I would support a tax code and tax rate that is fair to everyone,” O’Rourke again sidestepped.
“Tax capital at the same rate that you tax ordinary income; take that corporate tax rate up to 28%, you would generate the revenues you need to pay for the programs we are talking about,” he added before his time was up.
WATCH:

Ryan Saavedra
✔@RealSaavedra
Savannah Guthrie asks Beto O'Rourke if he would support a 70% marginal tax rate
O'Rourke refuses to answer the question and starts speaking Spanish
Guthrie presses him again
O'Rourke again refuses to answer
5,875
6:13 PM - Jun 26, 2019
3,281 people are talking about this
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Twitter reacted accordingly:

Matt Walsh
✔@MattWalshBlog
Moderator: “Mr. O’Rourke, what do you think about this specific tax plan?”
Beto: “Well you see I know Spanish.”
Moderator: “Yeah but the tax plan...”
Beto: “Hola como estas”
#DemocraticDebate
39.6K
6:09 PM - Jun 26, 2019
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Kassy Dillon
✔@KassyDillon
This is just a contest of who can speak the most Spanish...
851
6:38 PM - Jun 26, 2019
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130 people are talking about this

Dan McLaughlin
✔@baseballcrank
Top tax rate question. Beto: If I answer in Spanish, it won't be used in ads against me.
243
6:06 PM - Jun 26, 2019
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47 people are talking about this

Karol Markowicz
✔@karol
Lol, Beto switching to Spanish for no reason.
289
6:06 PM - Jun 26, 2019
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48 people are talking about this

Matt Walsh
✔@MattWalshBlog
Beto, summarized: “Hey look I know Spanish.”
430
6:07 PM - Jun 26, 2019
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74 people are talking about this