Sunny Hostin Clashes with Alyssa Farah Griffin Over Republican Economic Policy on ‘The View’: “Makes Wealthy People Richer”

The View guest co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin was the “skunk at the garden party” today (her words, not mine) as Sunny Hostin blasted her for her defense of trickle-down economics. The argument stemmed from a conversation about Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Chuck Schumer coming to a deal on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg was the first to celebrate the deal, which she described as a “comprehensive healthcare, climate, and tax bill.”

“Is this a major win for democrats and is everybody sort of breathing a sigh of relief that Joe Manchin no longer is just the hellhound from Hell?” she asked the panel.

“He remembered he was a democrat, probably, and I say it’s Christmas in July,” Joy Behar added.

Although the celebrations quickly turned when Griffin, who was recently rumored to be joining the ladies full-time, said that while she’s a fan of moderates (left or right), she has some concerns about the bill.

“I think that the White House and Senate Dems are being too cute by half,” she said, pointing out the news that the country had its second straight quarter of economic decline, which would typically define a recession — though she added that they won’t call it that.

Behar quickly asked, “What’re they calling it?” to which Griffin responded, “They’re saying it’s not quite a recession yet and then we’ve got this act which they’re calling the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.”

Hostin chimed in with her own opinion saying, “I think that’s great messaging,” but it didn’t sway Griffin too much as she said, “I hope it does that. I’m not confident it will. It is raising taxes.”

Behar cut off the former White House Director of Strategic Communications, pointing out that taxes would only be raised on corporations and people who make over $400,000.

“My fear, though, is on corporations, then that trickles down to the job growth,” Griffin told the co-host.

“Corporations aren’t putting money back into their employees, they’re taking the profits, Alyssa, and they’re pocketing it for themselves, you know that,” a clearly annoyed Hostin argued. “Republican economic policy never works other than to make wealthy people richer.”

Griffin went on to discuss her middle-class family who is filling their gas tanks halfway and can’t afford groceries. She said that while it’s not all on President Joe Biden, the “economy’s not looking good under democrats right now.”

“Even if you call it the Inflation Reduction Act, I’m not confident it’s gonna do that because the one thing the Biden administration can point to as a success right now is low unemployment,” Griffin said. “I think this is going to lead to higher unemployment if you’re taxing corporations higher.”

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.