Here's what W had to say during his Saturday radio address:
Election Day is around the corner, and one of the biggest issues at stake in this campaign is your taxes. Here is my philosophy: I believe that our economy grows and the American Dream reaches more citizens when you keep more of what you earn. With more money in your pocket, it is easier for families to afford a good education, it is easier for young people to afford the down payment on a home of their own, and it's easier for small business owners to go out and invest and create jobs.
So my administration and the Republican Congress enacted the largest tax relief since Ronald Reagan was in the White House. We cut taxes for every American who pays income taxes. We doubled the child tax credit. We reduced the marriage penalty. We cut taxes on small business. We cut taxes on capital gains and dividends to promote investment and jobs. And to reward family businesses and farmers for a lifetime of hard work and savings, we put the death tax on the path to extinction.
Now the results of these tax cuts are in. The tax cuts we passed have left more than a trillion dollars in the hands of American workers, families, and small businesses, and you have used that money to fuel a strong and growing economy. Last year, our economy grew faster than any other major industrialized nation. This week, we learned that our economy grew by 1.6 percent during the third quarter of this year. As we expected, this rate is slower than in previous quarters. Yet the evidence still points to a vibrant economy that is providing more jobs and better wages for our workers and helping reduce the federal deficit.
Since August 2003, the American economy has created more than 6.6 million new jobs, including over 1.7 million jobs in the past 12 months alone. Real take-home wages are up by 2.2 percent over the past year, which means an extra $1,300 for the typical family of four with two wage earners. And the economic growth spurred by tax cuts has helped reduce the deficit. Tax revenues have soared as the economy has grown, allowing us to meet our goal of cutting the federal deficit in half — three years ahead of schedule.
All these signs point to one conclusion: Cutting your taxes worked. Unfortunately, the Democrats are still determined to raise your taxes, and if they gain control of the Congress, they can do so without lifting a finger. Under current law, many of the tax cuts we passed have to be renewed by Congress or they will expire. In other words, if Congress fails to act, your taxes will automatically go up. If Democrats take control of the House, the committee in charge of all tax legislation would be chaired by a Democrat who recently said he "cannot think of one" of our tax cuts that he would extend. And if there's no legislation to renew and extend the tax cuts, every tax rate will go back up to its old, higher level.
So, who ya going to vote for? Are you going to let the Democrats and their non stop irrational hatred of George Bush affect you? Are you going to let your disatisfaction with Congressional Republicans cause you to vote Dem or just sit it out? If so, your taxes going up will be on your ass.
You're saying "Teach, Bush will just veto any tax increase Bills!" Sure. But what if the Democrats add a rider that raises some sort of tax in an Iraq or Afghanistan funding bill? What then? Tough choice? Or if there is a huge natural disaster requiring Congress to approve that spending, like with Katrina. Dems can bury a tax increase in that legislation.
All talk, no action. He can’t keep lowering taxes and increasing spending (well, he can because we know trickle down works, I just don’t like it). Of course the alternate is much, much worse.
I guess the choice is to die by being boiled in acid slowly or by being stung to death by fire ants.
Great points, for which I have no answer. Our lame critters vs. their even worse critters.