Street interview videographer Ami Horowitz headed to the "liberal Mecca" of New York City's West Village recently to talk to left-leaning pedestrians about taxes.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Horowitz first asked folks what they thought about the Republican tax plan. The responses were predictable.
"They suck," one guy said. "They all suck."
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Another guy said the GOP plan is "ridiculous."
"I feel like this is just another excuse for the rich people get a break on having to pay taxes that the rest of us hard-working people have to pay," yet another guy said.
Then Horowitz switched gears and gave his interviewees the "Bernie Sanders" competing tax plan points.
(Shhh! They're actually from the Republican plan.)
The responses?
Well, let's just say that when the magic word "Bernie" is uttered in lower Manhattan, the clouds part and angels join together in song. Some examples:
When Horowitz offered the "Bernie Sanders" point that taking out a mortgage of more than $750,000 will result result in the homeowner paying more in taxes, one guy replied, "I could definitely side with that."
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Doubling the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000? "A good thing," another guy responded.
Likewise, he presented the "Bernie" point that the more you earn, the more you pay in taxes — and a fellow answered with a smile, "I know that people who make a lot of money aren't going to like that, but that's just how it is ... exactly, right? One percent, yeah."
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Keeping the Obama-era tax credits for clean energy? "Oh, one hundred thousand billion percent," another guy said.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
A woman on the street who said she voted for Sanders summed it up: "It's all just rational with Bernie. With Trump it's not."
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Then Horowitz switched gears again and informed his interviewees that all the points he just mentioned were actually part of the Republican tax plan.
Their reactions this time?
Let's just say a tad humbling.
Check out the clip: