Ok, I found this. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A54308-2003Jul27?language=printer Some Democratic candidates, such as Dean and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), have called for repeal of all the cuts, a move that would raise tax rates for all income-tax payers, reinstate the "marriage penalty" on joint filers, and shrivel the popular child tax credit for middle-income taxpayers. Both candidates frame the issue in terms of choices, and both have pledged that they would use the tax revenue to provide universal health insurance coverage and rev up the economy. In contrast, Democrats running as moderates have proposed raising taxes only on the wealthy, while cutting them elsewhere, and they plan to make middle-class tax increases an issue in the Democratic primaries. Sen. Bob Graham (Fla.) would move the highest tax bracket -- 35 percent -- back to the 38.6 percent that it was before this year's tax cut, while instituting a "millionaire's tax bracket" of 40 percent. Graham would also repeal the capital gains and dividend tax cuts signed into law last month. Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) has taken a similar approach, calling for the top two tax brackets to be returned to their pre-Bush levels of 39.6 percent and 36 percent from the current 35 percent and 33 percent. He would scrap the 15 percent tax on dividends created this year, treating dividends once again as taxable income. And for people making more than $250,000 a year, Edwards would raise the capital gains rate up from the new 15 percent rate and even higher than the 20 percent rate Bush inherited, to 25 percent. He would also retain taxation on large inheritances, scuttling the law that would repeal the estate tax in 2010.
Kerry would repeal most of Bush's tax cuts on income, dividends and capital gains. http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/03/news_pf/Columns/Is_Dean_a_picture_per.shtml
Hey, I have no problem with taxing the "really rich" at a slightly higher rate... even if I am one of them (I wish). Still, though, I can't believe anybody in the race would say the market is for rich people. Getting rid of the tax cuts can be seen as a simple matter of priorities. I understand dipping into the savings every once and awhile, but this constant deficit that Rep. presidents seem to continually create is insane. It makes me wonder why people think that Republicans are better on the economy than Dems or Inds. Facts are facts, you know? The problem is that the current administration is doing too many things at once, and doing them all poorly. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the extra money from the IRS, but the interest that we'll be paying on the debt added to the debt is going to be many times more than we get back in tax breaks. It's bad for the country overall.
Rich to a tax and spend moron is anybody with one dollar more than the voter they are trying to trick into voting for them. One thing about the economy though, it is showing all the early signs of recovery, the tech sector is recovering, etc. By election time Bush will be saying "I created jobs for Americans", probably indirectly, more like "during my administration 2 million jobs have been created for Americans that want to work" First tier Democrats are not going to run against GWB because it is hard to beat an incumbent with a good economy under his belt. They will run Clark or somebody that doesn't matter to them and try to put up somebody with a chance of winning in 2008. Meanwhile Californians are working really hard to see that Gov. Davis won't ever be elected to anything but dogcatcher, he was actually hoping to step from CA Governor to President!! That is probably why he did not announce the $38 Billion dollar deficit until a couple of weeks after the last elections!! Personally I think the thirty year rise of conservatism in the USA is still rising as the population gets older and doesn't believe the moronic things they are told by liberals.
Grover Norquist of the conservative Americans for Tax Reform, says 70% of people who voted last November own stock and would benefit from the end of dividend taxes. "The Democrats are going to have to spend six months explaining to the American people why they hate investors," he says. Democrats say most of those voters' stock is in 401(k) retirement plans and they wouldn't benefit until they retire and cash in. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-01-07-bush-strategy-usat_x.htm I am telling you I heard a direct reference to the stock market being for rich people. The only reason I remember that statement so well is because I was shocked someone actually said those words on TV. I mean I know they all believe in that but to actually verbalize it was amazing. Oh and by the way, raising capital gains by 60%!!!!!! on the upper middle class is not a "slightly higher rate." It's downright illegal.
More than economics it is rather freedoms threat that you should care about: http://www.greatdreams.com/security.htm ARE YOU GIVING UP YOUR FREEDOMS FOR SECURITY? Subject: criminalizing public dissent--fri-june 14--ohio state university "A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, no question about it." -- George Walker Bush, July 26, 2000 President Bush spoke at the Ohio State commencement ceremonies on June 14. Below are two stories - one from the mainstream press, and one from an eyewitness (a graduating student). Draw your own conclusions about what kind of nation we are living in. -- Randy Oftedahl "Bush urges 'culture of service' to graduates at Ohio State commencement" http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020614/ap_to_po/bush_7 "Bush was invited to speak at the Ohio State commencement by representatives of the graduating class. But immediately before class members filed into the giant football stadium, an announcer instructed the crowd that all the university's speakers deserve to be treated with respect and that anyone demonstrating or heckling would be subject to expulsion and arrest. The announcer urged that Bush be greeted with a "thunderous" ovation. And he was. When university President William Kirwan saluted Bush's response to Sept. 11, the crowd of thousands stood to applaud,whistle and cheer." -------------------------------------------------------------- And how one graduate witnessed it... Posted on www.turnyourbackonbush.com LAST EDITED ON Jun-14-02 AT 03:59 PM (ET) As I sit here before you, I must admit I am truly exhausted from a full day. I've read the thread about Ohio State on LBN, and I am here to tell you it is true ... and then some. I'll try to hit all the details. And what happened to us is truly unbelieveable. We arrived at Ohio Stadium at 6am. A rally was scheduled at the Jesse Owens memorial site for that time, and the graduates were to be at their places by 6:30am. Family and friends were permitted to enter at that time as well. I didn't get close enough to the 6am rally, but in my search for an organizer of Turn Your Back On Bush, I did indeed hear the announcement. Graduating students were told that they would be expelled and arrested if they turned their backs. They were alerted that dozens of staff members and police officers would be watching the stands, as well as the Secret Service. A few students asked for the definition of expulsion ... did it mean removal from the stadium or refusal of their diplomas, or both? One of the persons at the front said "Both. And what will your parents do when they are paged from the crowd to bail out their son?" I do not know if this person had an official capacity with the Ohio State University or any police department. I must say, I did not hear that exchange. I was informed of it later when I found outside the stadium protesting. To tell these ADULTS that after 4 years and $80,000 dollars that they would be tossed aside if they didn't face a certain direction???? I began to wonder how many of those students went to find their friends who were graduating pre-law ... We entered the stadium later with family and friends, and similar statements swirled around the crowd. "Please make sure you stand and loudly cheer our President. Our graduates have been requested to do the same, and have agreed to give a loud cheer for Mr. Bush", etc ... Once inside, we decided that it might not be a good idea to be too close to the front. We saw the lines of people waiting to get in the stadium ... and yes, we saw the yellow buses that carted them all in. I asked one of them where they were from. The woman replied "Upper Arlington". However, she could not provide a zip code when I asked her for it (the main zip code for UA is 43221). Figuring on the masses of bussed-in people, we knew it might not be wise to be up front. We went behind the graduates and looked for peace signs on the mortar boards (a sign that was meant to ID the Turn-Your-Backers). It was really difficult to get an accurate count, but there were a LOT of peace signs. I was sure that we weren't the only ones counting peace signs. It didn't take long for our stomachs to turn ... the first speaker (I believe the OSU President) began spouting about how proud they were to have Bush there. He said "We have a long tradition of inviting great men and women to speak at our commencements." I quickly responded "but since we couldn't get one, here's Georgie". That got the attention of the state trooper in front of us. His eyes were on me the rest of the time. The speech continued to mention that Chimpy was "a tireless worker in the field of education" and "a man who unified this country after the terrible events of 9/11". It was interesting to note that it took a LONG time for the 9/11 applause to turn into a standing ovation ... they held out for that one, not continuing the speech intentionally. About 10 minutes later, Shrub was introduced to speak. Before he even got to the stage, we did our about-face. I looked over my shoulder to see how many graduates were doing the same. However, everybody was standing at that point, and in pure black robes, it was impossible to see who was facing what direction. Furthermore, over that same shoulder, I saw one of Columbus' Finest heading our way. We never got to see how many students participated. We were being led out of Ohio Stadium. To the officers' credit, he realized there was a 3-year-old in my arms and was not at all hostile. I asked him if I was under arrest, and he did not answer me. When we reached the exit, I asked the SS man why we had been ejected, and he told me we were being charged with disturbing the peace. If we chose to leave, the charges would be dropped immediately. With our daughter in mind, we chose not to fight it. I am sure we will regret it someday when Bush's fabulous economy strikes us and we need a few million in a lawsuit. But our daughter did not need any more irritation on this day. On this day, June 14th, 2002, I came to the realization that we no longer live in a free society. This is rapidly heading in the same way Nazi Germany headed. Questioning our leaders is no longer the most outrageous crime you can be charged with. Not paying attention to them is.
W is treading on very thin ice come next november. If the economy gets any worst (which I think it will by then), virtually any democrat will win. Even if the economy some how avoids: Housing bubble collapse Consumer spending collapse Dollar collapse More job losses It won't be a picnic to get re elected. You have other wild cards like Iraq (how many more GI's are we going to lose), possible al qaeda insurgency, or other domestic issues that anger voters (lack of health care for example). My money is on anyone other than W.
Answers please, Mr Bush Michael Moore fired his opening salvo against George Bush and his rightwing cronies with his bestseller Stupid White Men. Now the president is in his sights again. In this second extract from his new book he asks his old enemy seven awkward questions Monday October 6, 2003 The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/michaelmoore/story/0,13947,1056922,00.html