Free Republic

C I Host Poll Indicates Bush Leads Kerry Among Businesses; Hosting Company Tallies Huge, Expedient Sample From Internet DALLAS, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- C I Host today released of one of the largest presidential polls ever conducted among small- to medium-sized business owners, indicating that Republican incumbent George W. Bush enjoys a commanding lead over Democratic candidate John Kerry prior to Tuesday's election. The poll tallies the opinions of 27,593 U.S. respondents who participated in an e-mail questionnaire distributed to C I Host clients throughout the country. An additional 4,823 international respondents participated. Significantly, the U.S. survey found 49 percent...

CHICAGO-BASED Joel Stern heads one of the largest global corporate consultancies, Stern Stewart, and is therefore a recognised expert on the likely behaviour of the world's biggest companies. He has come to Australia to warn about what might happen in the US next year. Last October (The Weekend Australian, October 18) he predicted incredibly accurately the huge rise in 2004 US productivity and profits (profits look like achieving a real rise of about 19 per cent); a substantial rise in US employment; and US growth rates of between 4.5 and 5.5 per cent. His latest predictions are frightening. Stern says...

Just on Fox News: using Kerry's own numbers, the "tax roll-back for the rich" will effect anyone making over $ 146,000 a year, not $ 200,000. How many "rich people" out there making $ 146,000?

"Can I get me a hunting license here?" Kerry asked store owners..." Is the Senator from MA speaking to the fine citizens of Ohio like they're from an age past gone? What's up with this?

"He (Kerry) also made campaign stops meant to play to southeast Ohio's strong gun-rights voters. In Pike County's city of Buchanan, Kerry's motorcade stopped at the Village Grocery Store, where he paid $140 for a hunting license he plans to use during a hunting trip and campaign stop in Youngstown this week." "Can I get me a hunting license here?" Kerry asked store owners Paul and Debra McKnight.

The Washington Timeswww.washingtontimes.com Bush, Kerry and tradePublished October 16, 2004 President Bush has presided over a calibrated and ambitious trade policy that has been geared towards opening new markets around the world for U.S. producers while defending U.S. industry from unfair trade practices abroad. Mr. Bush's trade representative, Robert Zoellick, has proven to be an agile negotiator in and main driver of global trade talks.     By contrast, John Kerry has articulated a trade agenda which endangers the ongoing round of trade negotiations. His call for reevaluating existing trade deals could alienate U.S. allies and undermine U.S. foreign policy. In fact,...

The final two presidential debates have given Americans a clear picture of John Kerry’s tax vision. It’s not pretty. For starters, Kerry’s statements and campaign manifesto undermine his pledge not to raise taxes on those who earn less than $200,000. This alone should warn voters that, for Kerry, tax hikes are not a last resort, but a first response.

The U.S. economy has displayed a remarkable resilience following the bursting of the Internet bubble and the 9/11 terrorist attacks that struck at the heart of American business. The economy’s strength was such that the 2001 recession is among the weakest on record. Today, business investment continues on an unprecedented expansion and more Americans are working than ever before. Still, myths are rampant. This paper presents a basic statistical overview of the American economy and prosperity that Americans today enjoy. I. Jobs, Employment, and Income There are three main indicators that inform the issue of employment in America. First is...

October 13, 2004, 11:05 a.m. 368 Economists Against Kerrynomics The challenger’s policies would bring “a lower standard of living for the American people.” By J. Edward Carter & Cesar V. Conda Leading economists have a message for America: “John Kerry favors economic policies that, if implemented, would lead to bigger and more intrusive government and a lower standard of living for the American people.” That was the conclusion released in a statement Wednesday by 368 economists, including six Nobel laureates: Gary Becker, James Buchanan, Milton Friedman, Robert Lucas, Robert Mundell, and — the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize in...

Middle Class Said To Pay Higher Tax Rate Than Heinz Kerry And KerryMon Oct 11 2004 10:22:17 ET Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, writes in the WALL STREET JOURNAL on Monday: "According to the Kerrys' own tax records, and they have not released all of them, the couple had a combined income of $6.8 million in income last year and paid $725,000 in income taxes. That means their effective tax rate was a whopping 12.8%.... "Under the current tax system the middle class pays far more than the Kerry tax rate. In fact, the average federal tax...

In the debate on Friday night, John Kerry was asked if he'd raise taxes on families making under $200,000. In a memorable moment, John Kerry looked right into the camera and lied to America. JAMES VARNER: Senator Kerry, would you be willing to look directly into the camera and, using simple and unequivocal language, give the American people your solemn pledge not to sign any legislation that will increase the tax burden on families earning less than $200,000 a year during your first term? JOHN KERRY: "Absolutely. Yes. Right into the camera. Yes. I am not going to raise taxes."...

John Kerry says vote for him because he'll restore what Democrats talk about as Bill Clinton's "just-right, Goldilocks" economy. "Let's not forget what we [Democrats] did in the 1990s," he's been telling folks on the campaign trail and may well repeat in one of the next two debates. "And we can do it again." But the splendid ’90s were not splendid because of the Democrats or Clinton or even Clinton's much ballyhooed Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, now a Kerry adviser. It's a nice party myth, but it's far from accurate. Some recent history is in order: After Clinton's election, the...

http://www.capitalideasblog.com/archives/2004/10/kerrys_economic.html The main point is that Kerry is not offering a middle-class tax cut as he continually claims. It's only a few targeted tax credits for a less-than-majority segment of the population. Agree? Disagree?

Consumer spending never once declined in the recession of 2000-01. This is because middle-class income actually increased by nearly 5 percent between 2000 and 2002, according to the latest IRS statistics. This fact runs completely counter to the Kerry-Edwards argument about a “middle-class squeeze.” Still, overall individual income declined 5 percent during this period. Why? Upper-end income suffered mightily. The top tax brackets lost about 28 percent of their income, on average, largely from the stock market crash and the fall in high-paying jobs. Twelve percent of the folks who fought their way above $200,000 a year slipped below that...

Kerry caught red-handed in a LIE as he pledged he would not raise taxes!October 9, 2004ONLINE STORY Making people pay taxes that they're not currently paying is a tax increase. How much simpler could it be? When Kerry was asked during the debate if he would pledge not to raise taxes on Americans making less than $200,000 a year, he looked into the camera and said "I am not going to raise taxes, I have a tax cut." Yet right in the middle of his answer, he spoke of repealing the Bush "tax cut." While the Kerry and the DNC...

On the financial segment, Fox News, this AM, 10-09-04, 11:30 AM, Jonathan Hoenig said that John Kerry's economic plan is a Communist-Manisfesto. On job creation, Hoenig said, that John Kerry's idea of getting a job, is to marry a very wealthy woman. Jonathan Hoenig, is the Managing Member of a private Investment Partnership and a weekend guest contributor for Fox News. For more on him; http://wwwcapitalistpig.com/home.html

MEMORANDUMFROM: BC'04 POLICY DEPARTMENTIntroductionOver the course of the campaign, Senator Kerry has proposed adding more than $2 trillion in new spending to the Federal budget, including his big government take over of health care.  Yet he still claims he will reduce the budget deficit in half during his first term.  Contrary to his claim, third party analysis indicates Senator Kerry underestimates the costs of his proposals and inflates the value of his offsets.  Independent analysts conclude Senator Kerry's numbers just don't add up.  In order to maintain his pledge to cut the deficit in half he will either have to...

IN THE FIRST presidential debate, which made Democrats think that the presidency is very nearly theirs, John Kerry went through a list of domestic projects that he believes are needed to make America more secure from terrorists. Better safeguarding American ports was one of his concerns. Why, he said, in a swipe at President Bush, 95 percent of the containers arriving on our shores are not inspected. Okay, Senator, have them inspected if you ascend to the White House. We will then not have to fear that terrorists will destroy us, for you will have done it in one fell...

2003 Vote To Raise Income Taxes By $90 Billion. (S. 1689, CQ Vote #373: Motion Agreed To 57-42: R 50-1; D 7-40; I 0-1, 10/2/03, Kerry Voted Nay; Senate Republican Policy Committee, “Security Supplemental/Small Business Tax Hike To Pay For The Bill,” 10/2/03)2003 Vote To Increase Superfund Taxes By $15.6 Billion. (S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote # 97: Rejected 43-56: R 1-50; D 41-6, I 1-0, 3/25/03, Kerry Voted Yea)1999 Vote To Increase Tobacco Taxes By $133 Billion To Pay For Prescription Drug Benefit. (S. Con. Res. 20, CQ Vote #76: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 12-41; D 42-3, 3/25/99,...

I've heard from Kerry-Republicans recently that they are turning to Kerry over the current forecasted deficits and the state of the economy. The argument: I support small government, and Bush is spending and putting us into debt. Fallacy: 9/11 evaporated an estimated equivalence of 1/12th of the US GNP. The ripple effect throughout the economy can be measured in multiples of that loss; one could even argue that the multiple could easily bridge the gap between the inherited 5 trillion surpluses and the current forecasted 3 trillion deficits. Entire companies were wiped out in a single instant that day. Entire...

SENATOR EDWARDS: Yes. Let me say first, on an issue that the vice president said in his last answer before we got to this question, talking about tax policy. The country needs to know that under what they have put in place and want to put in place, they -- millionaires sitting by their swimming pool, collecting their statements, to see how much money they're making, make their money from dividends, pays a lower tax rate than the men and women who are receiving paychecks for serving on the ground in Iraq. Now, they may think that's right. John Kerry...

The Candidates’ Tax Plans: Comparing the Economic and Fiscal Effects of the Bush and Kerry Tax Proposalsby William W. Beach, Ralph A. Rector, Ph.D., Rea S. Hederman, Jr., Alfredo B. Goyburu, and Tim Kane, Ph.D. Center for Data Analysis Report #04-09 September 20, 2004 | | Nearly every day, the two major presidential candidates speak about the economic good or ill that stems from the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. Besides the war in Iraq, few matters so divide the candidates and their supporters as their view of the wisdom of enacting substantial tax cuts in 2001 and again...

Before discussing John Kerry’s economic plan, I’d like to offer some observations on last night’s Vice Presidential debate. I actually found last night’s VP debate interesting. In particular, VP Cheney was knowledgeable, strong and articulate as he contradicted Mr. Edwards’ incorrect data (spec. Edwards’ false claims of the dollars thus far spent on the war and the casualties incurred by our allies) and then took him to task on his Senate attendance and voting record. Both John Edwards and John Kerry are infamous for ‘making things up’ as they go along. In this arena, Edwards, like his running mate, didn’t...

Daily Iowan - Metro Issue: 10/5/04 Bush says Kerry to raise taxes By J.K. Perry - The Daily Iowan CLIVE, Iowa - George Bush rehashed week-old debate themes Monday, launching criticism aimed at John Kerry's "global test" and deficient tax proposals to cover increased spending. A crowd of approximately 2,000 supporters gathered in this Central Iowa town for the president's 16th visit to the hotly contested battleground state he narrowly lost in 2000. Democratic presidential candidate Kerry is in Tipton today for a town-hall meeting. Bush juggled Kerry's recent debate remarks in turn, touting his own foreign policy before railing...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, arguing that President Bush has lost touch with middle-class voters, promised them yesterday that "I've got your back." With one new poll, for Newsweek magazine, after Thursday's debate on national security showing Mr. Kerry having erased Mr. Bush's polling lead, the Massachusetts senator pivoted sharply from the war in Iraq to the economy, tying both issues together in charging the president doesn't see the real world, and therefore, can't make the right choices. "George Bush can't see the problems, so he can't solve them," Mr. Kerry said. "... And it's not...

Wanting of course to be well educated on the issues at stake in this election, I was reading through Kerry's tax reform plan on his campaign site and thought it sounded familiar. A little digging quickly showed why. During a recent discussion with one of my co-workers over the reasons he was voting for Senator Kerry instead of President Bush, the issue of outsourcing came up. He said that he disagreed with the fact that Bush wanted to outsource all of our jobs and at my request forwarded me the source of information that led him to believe this. He...

Would Senator Kerry’s Budget Really Reduce the Deficit? by Brian M. Riedl September 21, 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry recently pledged that, if elected, he would cut the budget deficit in half by 2008. Given the projected $422 billion budget deficit in 2004, his pledge translates into a $211 billion budget deficit in the next four years.1 Realistically, Senator Kerry's current tax and spending proposals would actually increase the budget deficit. Third-party estimates project that Senator Kerry's proposals would raise the 2008 budget deficit to $525 billion. Even a rosy projection that, whenever possible, relies on the Kerry campaign's...

Statement from Senator Kerry on Middle-Class Tax Cut 9/23/2004 5:45:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk and Political Reporter Contact: Allison Dobson of Kerry-Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Senator John Kerry released the following statement today: "Millions of American families are being squeezed by the weak Bush economy, falling incomes and rising health costs, and we should extend middle-class tax breaks to help them. That is why I support middle-class tax cuts, including the tax package now being considered in Congress. "But Americans should also know that President Bush has again tied middle-class tax relief...

WASHINGTON -- A month ago, Iraq was one of John Kerry's biggest political liabilities. His campaign had decided to play down the Iraq war to focus on issues that seemed more favorable to Democrats: the economy, jobs and voters' health-care anxieties. Now all that has changed: Mr. Kerry sees Iraq and more broadly the war on terror as essential to his hopes for capturing the White House, having given three major speeches on the subject in the past three weeks This shift reflects a basic strategic decision within the Kerry campaign, encouraged by a coterie of communications advisers and pollsters...

With both major party platforms calling for expanded federal spending over the next decade, 2004 is clearly not a happy election year for advocates of limited government. In fact, the question has arisen whether there is any reasonable basis at all upon which to choose between the two presidential candidates on the spending issue. Superficial appearances to the contrary, the answer is most certainly "Yes." To the casual observer, the choice might appear to be a tossup. Even among his most ardent supporters, George W. Bush has gained the unfortunate reputation as a major-league spendthrift during his years in the...

John F. Kerry’s “Economic Policy” graced the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal on September 15. Even though the Journal occasionally leans a little to the right, it was considerate of the editors to publish Kerry’s outline of his economic vision of America

Memorandum From: BC '04 Policy DepartmentThis memorandum reviews and responds point-by-point to John Kerry's column about the economy that appeared in the September 15, 2004 edition of the Wall Street Journal.  It provides a quote from the Kerry op-ed and then factual responses.OverviewJohn Kerry continues to dismiss the fact the President Bush inherited a tired and crippled economy that then experienced the most extraordinary confluence of shocks that has occurred in any business cycle in modern U.S. economic history.  In December of 2003, John Kerry said, " ...we haven't been creating jobs to some measure because of the overhang of...

...snip.. One would expect that the candidate who has been accused of being indecisive, non-committal, and critical in his speeches would outline a positive and forceful view of how he sees America in the next four years under his leadership. Unfortunately, he didn’t take advantage of this unique opportunity Once again, Kerry relied on criticism as his central campaign technique. Even though the editorial itself implied a discussion of his economic policy, six out of the first seven paragraphs attacked the Bush administration for past economic circumstances. For example, he blamed the Bush administration for the loss of 1.6 million...

John Kerry today writes in the op-ed column of the Wall Street Journal why GWB's economic policy has 'failed'. Kerry makes statements and takes stands eerily reminiscent of the Clinton 3rd way; moving to the center and making classic conservative economic statements. Watch out, he's talking to somebody who actually knows how to run a campaign. This may be the beginning of a new tact in which Kerry tries to move to the economic center. But frankly, even if he moves to the center it's probably too late now.

The Detroit Economic Club Remarks of John KerryFor Immediate Release Detroit, MI - Thank you.  It’s great to be back at the Detroit Economic Club.  I guess you could say that since I came here last September, I’ve had a pretty eventful year.  My Patriots won another Superbowl, my Red Sox almost won the Pennant, and my Celtics…well, my Celtics made sure they didn’t get in the way of a Piston’s championship.  During that year, John Edwards and I have made our way across this country we love.  And at every stop in our journey, we have witnessed the American...

<p>Budget: John Kerry would spend $2 trillion over the next decade. Think that's big? The Washington Post says President Bush's plans will "cost" $3 trillion.</p> <p>Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Case closed, then, on Bush the big spender, right? Well, as the sad sack in the rental-car commercial says, "not exactly." Because it really depends on what your definition of "cost" is.</p>

As I travel across this country, I meet store owners, stock traders, factory foremen and optimistic entrepreneurs. Their experiences may be different, but they all agree that America can do better under an administration that is better for business. Business leaders like Warren Buffett, Lee Iacocca and Robert Rubin are joining my campaign because they believe that American businesses will do better if we change our CEO. Since January 2001, the economy has lost 1.6 million private-sector jobs. The typical family has seen its income fall more than $1,500, while health costs are up more than $3,500.

MEMORANDUMFROM: BC'04 POLICY DEPARTMENT John Kerry’s economic adviser, Robert Rubin, appeared on ABC’s “This Week” show with George Stephanopoulos yesterday.  Contrary to Kerry’s claims, Rubin confirmed that Kerry’s proposed tax increase on U.S. companies competing abroad would not stop outsourcing.  Rubin said outsourcing is good for our economy and part of trade liberalization.  He outlined several steps for an international trade agenda – all of which President Bush is already doing.  Rubin never mentioned Kerry’s agenda of economic isolationism. Rubin said outsourcing is not a problem, that instead it’s beneficial and good for our economy: RUBIN: “It's part of trade liberalization, and trade...

COLMAR, Pa. (AP) — President Bush on Thursday blamed the Clinton administration for the loss of hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs and warned against backing the Democratic ticket in November because of a "hidden Kerry tax plan.""In the last six months of the prior administration, more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs were lost. We're turning that around," said Bush, who cited the addition of 107,000 manufacturing jobs this year.According to the Labor Department, the number of payroll jobs has grown by 1.7 million in the past 12 months, but the economy still has lost 913,000 positions since Bush took office...

MEMORANDUMFROM: BC'04 POLICY DEPARTMENTPresident George W. Bush has a bold agenda to adapt the government to our changing economy.  His broad agenda includes: overhauling our tax code with a simple, fair and pro-growth system, putting patients and doctors in charge of health care instead of government bureaucrats, strengthening and enhancing Social Security, and promoting lifelong learning to give people new skills for better jobs.  Each proposal is based on a fundamental principle that government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives.  The President's ideas build on America's inherent strengths - such as technology and our...

September 09, 2004, 10:31 a.m. The Prosperity Killer Wall Street is repelled by John Kerry. EDITOR'S NOTE: This article appears in the September 13, 2004, issue of National Review (the Kerry issue!). It's hard to remember the last time Wall Street was as repelled by a presidential candidate as it is by John Kerry. Many stock analysts are convinced that the mere threat of a Kerry presidency has caused equity values to slump in the past two months. "No one wants to make major investments in the wake of a presidential candidate whose economic agenda would substantially raise taxes on...

Kerry is math challenged. This goes along with his being geography challenged. It was Kerry who swore it was seared in his brain that he was in Cambodia during his short, short tour in Vietnam. Turns out he simply wasn't. (Truth challenged?) Kerry is also intelligence challenged. Reports say that Kerry was the chair of the Senate Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism in the late 90's when Al Qaeda was running rampant blowing up American embassies, planes, buildings, airmen, and ships. At that time, Kerry was able to determine with all his accumulated intelligence that the major terror issues in the...

Dem de la Crème By KARL ZINSMEISTER September 2, 2004; Page A12 Wall Street Journal Democrats: the party of the little guy. Republicans: the party of the wealthy. Those images of America's two major political wings have been frozen for generations. The stereotypes were always a little off, incomplete, exaggerated. (Can you say Adlai Stevenson?) But like most stereotypes, they reflected rough truths. No more. Starting in the 1960s and '70s, whole blocs of "little guys" -- ethnics, rural residents, evangelicals, cops, construction workers, homemakers, military veterans -- began moving into the Republican column. And big chunks of America's rich...

What do Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and King Henry IV of England have in common? Surprisingly, the answer is John Kerry. During his race for the White House in 1968, Richard Nixon claimed that he had a “secret” plan to end the Vietnam War. Recently, one of Sen. Kerry’s economic advisers let it slip that Kerry too has a secret plan. The slip-up occurred during a BusinessWeek online interview with Robert Rubin. The interviewer asked: Kerry has said he would roll back the tax cuts on the wealthy to pay for his spending programs. But if he wants to fix...

"John Kerry's own advisers say his tax plan won't stop outsourcing, and Kerry himself has disavowed his attacks on 'Benedict Arnold CEOs,' blaming them on 'overzealous speechwriters.' Kerry's own list of business supporters includes outsourcers and a sweatshop owner. He has even said he would 'support' companies taking jobs overseas 'in the normal course of business.' Kerry's shifting positions on outsourcing are another reason that he faces a credibility problem with the American people." -Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman Kerry's Outsourcing Proposal Is Disingenuous Kerry Campaign Officials Know Kerry's Plan Will Not Stop Outsourcing. "Campaign officials acknowledged that the...

Kerry’s Secret Economic Plan And why it must stay secret. By J. Edward Carter What do Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and King Henry IV of England have in common? Surprisingly, the answer is John Kerry. During his race for the White House in 1968, Richard Nixon claimed that he had a “secret” plan to end the Vietnam War. Recently, one of Sen. Kerry’s economic advisers let it slip that Kerry too has a secret plan. The slip-up occurred during a BusinessWeek online interview with Robert Rubin. The interviewer asked: Kerry has said he would roll back the tax cuts on...

Small Business Survival Committee analysis of Senator John Kerry's votes shows "unsettling" record Kerry Key Vote Findings • Of the 101 votes in the U.S. Senate that SBSC has rated since the 103rd Congress Senator Kerry’s record is unsettling. He has voted on the side of small business a mere 13 times out of the 101 votes that SBSC rated during the past decade – giving him a weak 13 percent rating on key small business issues. • Senator Kerry voted against small business 94 percent of the time on tax-related legislation rated by SBSC. Given 34 different opportunities...

John Edwards: Des Moines, Iowa, December 29, 2003 "Dividing us into two Americas - one privileged, the other burdened."  Communist Manifesto: "Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other -- bourgeoisie and proletariat." John Edwards: DNC Convention 2004 "It's wrong for a millionaire who sits by the pool on the phone to his broker to pay tax at a lower rate than the cop on the beat or the waitress working two shifts."Communist Manifesto: "In proportion as the bourgeoisie, i.e., capital, is developed, in the...

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will today take a refocused campaign - and some of Bill Clinton's former advisers - on the road as he tries to battle back from a 10-point deficit in the polls. Mr Clinton may be about to undergo heart bypass surgery, but he spent 90 minutes on the phone with Mr Kerry over the weekend urging him to reinvigorate his campaign by attacking George Bush on bread and butter domestic issues such as jobs and healthcare. With less than two months to go before the US presidential election, Mr Kerry has drafted former Clinton advisers...

What are the tax breaks Kerry is talking about? I suspect the breaks for campanies are the inequities in taxes on businesses, regulations on businesses and government forced employer responsiblities. Since he cannot force foreign nations to raise these expenditures on bussinesses is he proposing to lower the expenditures on bussinesses here?