Kerry Praises Clinton Tax Increase, Trashes Reagan

NewsMax.com ^ | Monday May 5, 2003; 1:14 p.m. EDT | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[Jean S]

Massachusetts Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry gave voters a revealing insight into how he would deal with the sour economy Monday morning, when he praised disgraced ex-President Bill Clinton for raising taxes and trashed the tax cutting economic policies of Ronald Reagan.

"People hate to admit this but it was Bill Clinton and the Democrats in 1993, without one Republican vote, who actually did deficit reduction," he told radio host Don Imus.

Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment."

"We not only balanced the budget but we paid down the debt," he added.

But in the next breath, the man who served as Michael Dukakis' lieutenant governor complained, "Now we've turned that around and we have deficits just like Ronald Reagan, as far as the eye can see."

When Imus pointed out that the so-called Clinton boom actually began during the last few months of President Bush's (41) term, Kerry admitted reluctantly, "There was some turn around in the [business] cycle.

"But what President Clinton did was restore the confidence level by showing Wall Street that we were indeed going to be responsible in Washington," he contended.

Kerry's was not asked if Clinton's deep cuts in the military budget had anything to do with balancing the budget - an assessment held by conservative economists - or whether the resultant Clinton military drawdown had left America vulnerable to the Sept. 11 attack.

Ironically, ex-President Clinton himself has admitted that his 1993 tax increase went too far. In an uncharacteristic moment of candor he told a Texas fundraiser in 1995, "Probably there are people in this room still mad at me, at that budget, because you think I raised your taxes too much. It might surprise you to know that I think I raised them too much, too."

[finnman69]

Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment."

Bizarro world thinking.

[The Old Hoosier]

There is a rationale there--not a good one, of course. He'll argue that by raising funds to patch over the defict, he helped keep interest rates down, allowing for more economic activity.

In fact, it's a pretty sketchy theory, and it also suffers from the ridiculous premise that government spending cannot be cut.

[jos65]

Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment."

That is truly amazing.

And this guy wants to be our President?

Not likely.

[faithincowboys]

Bush loves that-- Kerry keep linking Dubya to one of the most beloved Presidents we ever had. Kerry really thinks Massachusetts is America-- maybe they hate the Gipper in Massachusetts ( i think they voted for him twice though)but the rest of America loves RR.

[My2Cents]

"People hate to admit this but it was Bill Clinton and the Democrats in 1993, without one Republican vote, who actually did deficit reduction," he told radio host Don Imus.

John Fitzgerald Kerry is delusional...No, I'll give him more credit than that -- He's a liar.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Like you could drink your way to sobriety.

[Tacis]

Let us talk about Kerry's wife. She was married to a Pa. Senator nemaed Heinz and was, for many years, even after she married Kerry, known as Teresa Heinz. Now that ketchup boy has a higher profile, she will take his name.

But, it is now clear why she was reluntant to do so in the first place. She will now be known as Teresa Kerry or even better, Terry Kerry.

IIRC, yerry kerry is what you call it when one of those Japanese warrior guys kills himself with one of those sword thingees. Maybe, not. So, you got your "John and Terry Kerry." At Christmas, she could be Merry Terry Kerry. If the Boston Harbor named a boat after her, it could be the Ferry Terry Kerry.

[Consort]

If the people felt the same way as Kerry, Gore would be president today, and the Democrats would control both houses of congress. Clinton, Reich, and Ruben stole that money from our wallets, spent a big chunk of it on the bureaucracy and a little on the people, and the stolen money they didn't have time to spend was called a surplus.

[just me]

"""Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment.""""

It must be 23 million GOVERNMENT JOBS

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[savedbygrace]

What Kerry hopes voters have forgotten is that Clinton proposed 5 years of budget plans with deficits as far as the eye could see, until the pubbies rode into town and demanded a balanced budget. They never got it, but they started the ball rolling in that direction.

Early on, Clinton tried to claim credit for the success of the final Bush41 budget, and mostly got away with it. The media are such fools.

[lowbridge]

Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment."

We taxed ourself into prosperity? I dont think so.

"We not only balanced the budget but we paid down the debt," he added.

Who's "WE", kemo sabe?

Were you a Republican member of congress at the time?

[lowbridge]

The media are such fools.

They're not fools. They're liars.

[skeeter]

Early on, Clinton tried to claim credit for the success of the final Bush41 budget, and mostly got away with it. The media are such fools.

The media know damn well what the truth of the matter is.

[Michael.SF.]

Rare photograph of John Kerry's Presidential Asperations

[KarlInOhio]

You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind, and not a very sharp mind at that. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Kerry Zone!

Bill Clinton and the Democrats in 1993, without one Republican vote, who actually did deficit reduction,

In the real world, the Sinkmeister predicted huge deficits for as far as the eye could see. It wasn't until 1994 when the Republicans were elected to control (not took control) of both houses that some restraints were put on spending and the deficit was reduced. Now that the Republicans have joined with the 'Rats in spending like drunken sailors* the deficits have grown again.

*apologies to inebriated members of the Navy for the unflattering comparison.

[monocle]

I think it's time to dust off the "tax and spend" slogan.

[CyberAnt]

Geeee ... leave it to NewsMax to be first in line in highlighting the trashing of Reagan. They get more pathetic every day.

[Mo1]

Kerry credited the Clinton tax increase for bringing about "the greatest growth in this country in modern history, 23 million jobs created, lowest inflation, lowest unemployment."

"We not only balanced the budget but we paid down the debt," he added.

But in the next breath, the man who served as Michael Dukakis' lieutenant governor complained, "Now we've turned that around and we have deficits just like Ronald Reagan, as far as the eye can see."

Will someone explain to this moron that it OUR MONEY .. and because of that Tax Increase we had LESS money in OUR pockets

And that maybe if the Idiots on the Hill would stop spending OUR MONEY on things like buldings named after themselves or hey maybe even cracking down on all the fraud .. there wouln't be a friggin deficit