House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Thursday that her party will be using the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to hold events criticizing Republicans' tax reform law.
Speaking at a press conference, Pelosi said that, while a similar push against repealing Obamacare worked well last year, the tax reform bill has already become law. Still, she justified her push to discount the tax plan by noting that King supported equality and therefore would support Democrats' vision of "economic equality" through higher taxes on the wealthy.
"This year on Martin Luther King weekend, we honor his commitment to equality," Pelosi said. "Our struggle is for genuine equality, which means economic equality."
Declaring the tax reform law a "scam," Pelosi outlined her plan to hold "teach-ins across the country" to oppose it.
"So this weekend, inspired by Dr. King's call for fairness, opportunity, and equal opportunity and equal access to equality, we honor him by holding teach-ins across the country, town hall teach-ins on the GOP tax scam," Pelosi said.
The California Democrat said it is important for people to understand that the tax law, which has led companies to increase wages and give out bonuses to employees, is actually damaging the economy and opportunities for Americans.
"It's really important for the American people to continue to realize how damaging the GOP tax scam is to our economy and to opportunities for all Americans," Pelosi said. "I'm very proud of the work that has been done by the outside groups to spread the word, to tell the stories of how different parts of the bill affected their communities."
Pelosi also said Thursday that the benefits people are receiving from the tax reform law are actually "crumbs." She added that it is "pathetic" for anyone to care about workers receiving more money when the wealthy primarily benefit.