Final Word from Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Now that Jan Hamáček has passed off the problem of Michal Šmarda to Andrej Babiš, at least until July 31, he can roll up his sleeves and prepare for a confrontation with Donald Trump. In Právo on Sat., Hamáček defended his party's ability to increase budgetary revenue by taking credit for the planned new digital tax. Labor Min. Jana Maláčová of ČSSD broached the issue, he said proudly, and she provided the inspiration for Finance Min. Alena Schillerová to write the draft law. Schillerová's version calls for a 7% tax, which is 133.33% higher than the French plan that got Donald Trump's blood boiling. The CR isn't a U.S. priority, but retaliatory steps are nevertheless being considered. ČSSD complains about its ideas being stolen by ANO, but this is one that Babiš might be happy to let Hamáček keep. He and media mogul Daniel Křetínský can explain to Trump's hatchet men why a 7% tax on Facebook and Google is in the interest of "transatlantic democracy." [ Czech Republic culture ministry minister Info.cz Blesk Czech Media Invest France tech technology giants Amazon Apple trans-Atlantic ]
Glossary of difficult words
to pass off to - to throw a ball, some other object or an issue to someone else;
to broach - to raise (a difficult subject) for discussion;
to make someone's blood boil - to cause someone to get very angry;
retaliatory - as a response to a similar attack;
hatchet man - a person employed to carry out controversial or disagreeable tasks.