Bush goes off-message

September 22, 2006

Bush was in Florida yesterday to hammer home the GOP’s message and attack Democrats. With torture, tribunals, warrantless searches, the war in Iraq, and discussions of terrorism dominating the discourse, it stood to reason that the president would go after the opposition party on … taxes.

President [tag]Bush[/tag] began a blistering new political offensive on Thursday, asserting that if Democrats won control of Congress from Republicans it would mean higher [tag]taxes[/tag], less money in the pockets of working families and damage to the economy. […]

“If they get control of the House of Representatives, they’ll [tag]raise[/tag] your taxes, it will hurt our economy, and that’s why we’re not going to let them get control of the House of Representatives,” the president said at a fund-raising event at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for Gus Bilirakis, a Republican state representative running for Congress.

“The [tag]Democrats[/tag] have made their position clear,” Mr. Bush said. “I want you to remember the last time they had control of the United States Congress back in 1993, they passed a massive tax increase.”

One might recall that the ’93 tax increase led to the longest sustained economic growth in American history, 22 million new jobs, and the largest budget surplus ever, but that’s not important right now.

Bush’s latest pitch is actually a pretty hollow talking point, even by his admittedly low standards. The president couldn’t possibly be worried about a Democratic House raising taxes in the next [tag]Congress[/tag], not unless he’s planning to give up his veto pen, so yesterday’s remarks were more about trying to put taxes on the table as a key election issue.

It’s a long-shot.

For one thing, the issue barely registers in the polls. In the New York Times/CBS News poll (.pdf) released yesterday, respondents were asked to name the most important issues challenging the nation. The war in Iraq and the war on terror tied for first with 14%, while taxes did not quite register 1%.

Moreover, when Americans do express their preferences on taxes, they strongly back the Democratic approach. One recent poll asked which party people trust more to “make sure the tax system is fair.” It wasn’t even close — Democrats led the GOP, 55% to 27%.

So, why switch to taxes now? Is it because the White House is starting to wonder if perhaps national security issues aren’t quite the electoral boon the Republicans had expected?

I can tell everyone this – in the MN 6th debate yesterday Republican and perenial gay marriage ban proposer Michelle Bachman went to town talking about how she was all about tax cuts and making them permanent etc. etc. She even accused current GOP congressmen of spending too much.. This is likely the start of a new tack about tax and spend Democrats. I think we will see more of it.

If any group can succeed by accusing itself of poor performance it is the Grand Old Party!

  • CB,

    Why change the message? Rove et al look at the current and ever-changing political situation and decide whether to focus voters on a single, winning issue or to distract them from a looming, losing issue (the elephant in the room, the war in Iraq).

    On the issue of raising taxes–particularly tax hikes on the richest of the rich–to pay for the war in Iraq, Democrats won’t count their chickens until after November.

    PS — The specter of taxes–on the rich–is always good for fund-raising for the RNC and their congressional (Senate and House) campaign committees. The anal-retentives always respond to the tax-fear nudge, particularly when the nudge is delivered by the Moron-in-Chief.

  • Did any of the fellow posters here feel any “relief” from any of the Bush tax cuts? I didn’t notice much of any change. I wonder how many other middle class voters feel the same way? But I do notice how much more wealthy the wealthy have become. If the Dems roll back alll of Bush’s tax cuts, I won’t feel any noticeable increase in my payroll deductions.

  • Even Reagan and his daddy raised taxes, what’s the point ?

    I am so done with it, maybe 2 more years of this non-sense will wake up the country, but I am not holding my breath.

    FYI, first time in history you need a BILLION dollars to make Forbes 400 richest people in the US.

  • Don’t be so naive. The purpose of Bush talking about taxes now is to justify proposing still more cuts if the Republicans’ use of national security lets them hold on to win the elections.

  • Someone should point out that the alternative to Dem oversight is that Shrub will have to start some sort of draft to keep enough US troops in all the wars he is losing, present and future. Is there any wonder why every business Shrub operated failed?

  • Ten words about tax cuts from Bush’s mouth equates to at least 3 hours of air time from Rush on tax cuts.

    Like endless war, the Republican agenda is dependent on endless tax cuts. Sometime, this is all going to catch up with us, but you can bet the rich will find a way out of paying the piper.

    And my self employment taxes resulting from Reagan’s SS “reforms” far outweigh any piddly assed tax cut I received from Bush.

    Prediction: When it comes time to pony up for what has been stolen from the SS trust fund to subsidize Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy, you better be prepared to bend over and grab both cheeks. This is just another big tax that YOU have not paid YET.

  • Does anyone really believe we should be decreasing taxes when we’re involved in expensive wars? Or have people just forgotten about the wars since the media stopped covering it so much?

  • Clearly, Rove/Bush want the average non-engaged voter to think “Gee, I can barely afford rent, groceries, gas and nascar tickets, and now if I vote for democrats, I will lose my beer money! I better go look at that voter guide that was handed out in church last week…”

  • WHEN the Dems get back a majority in one of the legislative branches, the only people who have anything to be concerned about is the Cowardly Cowboy who occupies the White House and his minions who share the responsibility of the malfeasance that has resulted in the fucked up state of affairs we as Americans find ourselves in. Bush is scared shitless over the prospect of any sort of congressional oversight and worse for him subpeona power by Democrats for investgation of crimes committed by his misadministration with his approval.

  • Sadly for Bush and his minions the old fear and threat tactics won’t work in 2006 as they did in 02 and 04 I see the repukes as waking up a sleeping giant in the electorate this time around the repukes will go down like water being flushed down the toilet. All the old fear and scare tactics in their play book only appeal to the right wing wackos. However as much as their assinine lame talking points make the 24 hour news cycle. Democrats need to strike back fast and comprehensive with their own ads and news shows.

  • If the Democrats are elected, they’ll raise your taxes, welcome the terrorists, take your guns, burn your bibles, poison your dog, leave every child behind, repeal the right to torture, conduct investigations, kill innocent blastocysts, pull the plug on your mother, seperate church and state, cancel christmas, trap the easter bunny, dig up your grass and trim the Bushes.

  • tax cut (for me) and borrow (you pay the interest)
    or
    tax (everyone) and spend (on those who need it the most)

    Just how difficult is it to understand?

  • ***With torture, tribunals, warrantless searches, the war in Iraq, and discussions of terrorism dominating the discourse,….***

    Someone should really ask the president how he plans to pay for all of this stuff, when he’s cutting taxes—which is what he’s supposed to be paying for this stuff with….

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