Posted on 08/23/2008 2:58:40 PM PDT by WilliamReading
Republicans are sending onto the field a presidential candidate who perhaps has the least to offer middle-class voters on taxes since the first George Bush in 1992. Of course, Bush lost that year to a Democrat promising only to raise taxes on “the rich” and to cut them for the middle class — exactly Obama’s position now.
In his primary campaign, McCain had to endorse the extension of the Bush tax cuts he voted against in the Senate. But they have turned into a trap. Because Obama also wants to extend the middle-class aspects of the Bush cuts, McCain is left alone plugging for extending the cuts on higher earners. The same McCain who “in good conscience” opposed the original Bush package because it was too skewed to upper-income groups now is supporting a package that, relative to Obama’s plan, is even more skewed to the top.
Not to mention the Bush tax cuts have the obvious branding problem of the moniker “the Bush” tax cuts. McCain might be worse off if they were called “the Hoover” tax cuts, but not by much.
McCain has gamely tried to play offense on taxes, although the Obama plan is a diminishing target. Obama has steadily focused his tax increases on families making $250,000 a year or more. In one ad, McCain had to reach back to an Obama vote on a budget resolution to accuse him of wanting to increase the taxes of people making as little as $42,000 a year — never mind that Obama plans to cut their taxes now.
Obama’s middle-class tax cuts are a dog’s breakfast of credits and giveaways. McCain’s camp is right that the proposals are pandering, and that the Obama approach taken in its totality — higher taxes on investment, health-care mandates, massive new spending, etc. — will dampen growth.
But when it comes to the economy, it’s a cost-of-living election, with health-care costs and energy prices eroding workers’ wages. This is why McCain’s new support for offshore drilling has had such resonance. On the tax front, he offers families a doubling of the dependent exemption from $3,500 to $7,000. That sounds like a lot, but people down the income scale don’t pay enough in income taxes for the exemption to make much of a difference, and for everyone else, McCain fully phases it in only in 2016.
Unless McCain finds a way to get more relief to middle-class families, he has an enormous weakness. Policy doesn’t win or lose elections alone, but it can interact powerfully with a candidate’s narrative. One of Obama’s best defenses against the notion that he’s a celebrity-candidate aloof from average Americans is a tax plan that says he feels their pain. One of McCain’s greatest risks of being branded “Bush III” and just a typical Republican is a tax plan crafted long ago by George W. Bush and tilted toward upper-income brackets.
McCain can still adjust, and he’d better. Obama can’t be counted on to complain all the way to November.
Rich Lowry of the National Review says that it is time for McCain to dump the “Bush Tax Cuts” and come up with something that will better help the middle class voters.
McCain opposed them at the time because he thought they were tilted towards the uber-wealthy. Maybe he is right now to change his plan.
Being tied to the name Bush doesn’t help him in any way. Bush’s popularity is down to 31 percent for a reason.
I am not a big McCain fan, but any God fearing, intelligent, love America (Democrat or Republican) voter who would send a couple of idiots like Obama and Biden to Washington to run this Nation is beyond any normal reason.
Cutting taxes is a fundamental principle of conservatism and the Republican Party. For McCain to change (flip-flop) on that issue now would bring disaster. He needs to keep hitting the point that he will Cut Taxes, and that Obama will Raise Taxes. That is a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. Cut taxes Now, Today, Tomorrow and in the Future.
If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers – normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free, Americans who have been lulled away into a false security.
- Ezra Taft Benson, An Enemy Hath Done This
The dumbest thing McCain can do is to tie himself to George Bush. The man is a failed President, look at his poll numbers.
He needs to cut taxes but disassociate himself from the Bush Tax Cuts.
McCain was originally against the tax cuts because he thought they were too much of a giveaway to the upper income segment.
How about spending cuts? Bush did quite the opposite of that. That would separate McCain from Bush, AND be true to conservatism.
I don’t know about you guys, but the Bush tax cuts were the only ones that actually helped me out since the Reagan tax cuts. I think a lot of people probably had the same experience.
He doesn’t even need to mention the name of Bush, if his handlers think that would be bad. He can just point out that the Democrats want to impose the largest increase of taxes ever on the average taxpayer by refusing the make the last round of tax cuts permanent. So unless something is done, everyone’s taxes will be going back up, as the did under Bill Clinton.
Personally, I don’t think the name of Bush is that bad except among the moonbats who would never vote for McCain anyway. Most people would say that the Bush tax cuts were a pretty good thing, unless they are on welfare and don’t pay taxes. And McCain isn’t about to get the welfare vote.
Above all, I would say, DON’T TRUST OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRATS ON TAXES. He was a member of the Democrat congress consistently blocked making the tax cuts permanent. His Democrat predecessor Clinton ran with a promise to cut taxes, but instead he immediately raised them.
Obama will do the same.
I don’t think the name of Bush is that bad
Tell that to Jeb Bush.
Bush’s popularity is down to 31 percent for a reason.
Like almost 8 years of constant bashing by liberal media?
Ok that’s the most shortsighted, stupidest thing I’ve heard in some time. Low polls numbers reflect failed presidency ? And here I thought being a leader was NOT a popularity contests.
I’ll grant you, W sure isn’t perfect and has done plenty to piss off the conservative base (myself included), but he is FAR from failure - I firmly believe the history will vindicate him on the foreign policy perspective. We WON Iraq. That alone has changed the world for the better in immesurable ways. It may usher a completely new era. It won’t be some time until we see the consequences of W’s sticking it out in spite of the polls you mention.
Spend a little time and do some research on Bush's positive list of accomplishments. You'll be very surprised.
I believe that history will be very kind to Bush 43.
Conservatives are foolish if they fall in love with George W. Bush, who hasn’t governed like a conservative.
Regarding Iraq, Bush was negligent from 2004 to 2007 when he put Petraus in charge of the war.
All of "God's Children" should their illegal alien parents be successful in finding a "path to citizenship" greatly appreciate this gift.
Bump to that!
And no one better say "earmarks" because they make up a mere pittance in relation to total spending, or even the deficit.
Care to change my mind?
Some day, the Greatness of President Bush will be realized by all. The Bush tax cuts were good and should be extended. If McCain wants to win, he needs to hit the tax cut issue again and again. That will help bring him victory.
McCain’s Best Choice: Sarah Palin
Draft Sarah Palin for V.P. | 8-20-08 | KRISTOPHER LORELLI
Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 05:31:55 PM by TitansAFC
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066855/posts
Biden, check. Palin, checkmate.
RedState.com | August 23, 2008 | Josh Painter
Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 05:53:55 PM by Josh Painter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2066860/posts
This article doesn’t provide much perspective. McCain is for a $7,000 standard deduction (double from before) for health care deductions. Although McCain should make it more interesting by not only extending the cuts but pushing them deeper.
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