Supreme Court's Blow to Billionaires: Alito's Battle Against Anti-Tax Scheme

Justice Samuel Alito was the only Supreme Court justice who supported a theory that sought to invalidate a tax enacted as part of President Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The theory, devised by one of Alito's close friends, aimed to preemptively kill more ambitious wealth tax proposals. However, Alito's efforts fell short as the other justices appeared unwilling to embrace the idea, which could have jeopardized major portions of the tax code and blown a $340 billion hole in the federal budget. The Grossman/Rivkin theory, claiming that the tax was unconstitutional, was debunked by historical evidence and lacked support from the other justices. Ultimately, it is expected that the court will uphold the tax and the 16th Amendment, ensuring the survival of the U.S. tax code and preventing the premature demise of a wealth tax.