Bush touts his tax reductions. How should Kerry respond?

[stoptheinsanity]

At Friday night's debate, I suspect Bush's defense to a bad economy and the enormous deficit will be to blame it on Iraq. This does two things: first, it forces the discussion back to Iraq, and second, places blame on our "wor on terrrrr".

Thus far, the standard Democratic response has only been that the tax relief really went to the wealthiest top 5%. I think Kerry needs to go further. He needs to explain how the interest we will pay on the deficit heavily outweighs any tax cut. He also needs to point out that Bush has simply shifted the tax burden to state and local governments, who are increasingly having to cut essential programs and raise state and local taxes.

Any other ideas?

[Parche]

1. tax cut

What tax cut, we received a tax cut?
I had to pay this year, there was no tax cut for the middle class

[ibegurpard]

2. the "tax cuts" have not helped the economy

and they are the major factor in our dangerous deficits, particularly with the spending on this wrong-headed war.

[PeaceProgProsp]

3. We can't keep strangling the gov't by reducing tax revenues...

...but we should be REAPPORTIONING the tax burden so that people who are getting a lot of the economic benefits these days pull a little more weight, and people who are hurting get a little relief so that they can pay down their debts and so they can make investments in their futures.

Yes, lower taxes for working class people, but you can't keep holding down the tax burden on the super wealthy so that you end up cutting off ever government investment which helps working class and middle class people.

And Bush is only throwing a few scraps to the middle class so that they look the other way while the super rich are feasting on HUGE tax breaks.

[Zuni]

4. Social Security

to finance the defecits, Bush has been taking hundreds of billions from Social Security.

The 7.3 Trillion dollar debt means that every American owes almost 26,000 $$---and the interest on that alone is more than 200 Billion dollars.

[high density]

5. These tax cuts are passing the burden onto our grandchildren

and generations beyond that.

[Triana]

6. Here's how Kerry can respond - he can talk about THIS

Republicans Approve Big Tax Cuts for Big Business
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS

Published: October 7, 2004

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 - In an act of pre-election largess, House and Senate negotiators approved a sprawling corporate tax bill on Wednesday that would shower corporations and farmers in politically sensitive states with about $145 billion worth of new tax cuts.

In an attempt to get backing from Southern Democrats, Republican leaders included a $10 billion buyout for tobacco farmers to be paid for by taxpayers, but they rejected a Senate provision to link that buyout with a requirement that cigarette companies be subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration....

***

The agreement involves the cozy deal-making that often characterizes pork-barrel politics, with lawmakers from both parties insisting on breaks for hometown industries in return for their support of the overall measure.

The big winners include General Electric, Exxon Mobil, electric utilities, movie producers and agricultural producers.

Keith Ashdown, vice president for policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a public advocacy group in Washington, said, "This legislation is an early Christmas gift for corporate fat cats."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/07/business/07corptax.html

[Kammer]

7. Simple

Kerry needs to respond that Bush is not paying for the tax cut, just adding it to the debt. Nothing more than getting a cash advance on your credit card while heavily in debt. You have to pay for it somehow and Bush is laying the burden on our children. Passing the buck (literally).

[KharmaTrain]

8. Explain It's Another Tax HIKE...

Tax rates are lowered, so is the money that is taxable on state and local levels...thus less money for your schools, streets and other services.

Or...there's adding up all the added energy costs that 52 dollar a barrel oil will mean to the average consumer this winter.

It's all fuzzy math!

[dubyaD40web]

9. Easy

Most people got a check in the mail for $300 or $600 dollars (Depending on their marital status).

The latest military report says the average American household is paying $3,415 dollars for the Iraq war. Can you imagine getting a check for 3K as a tax cut?

Plus, look at the price of OIL!

[The Chronicler]

10. "My opponent is more concerned with giving taxbreaks to the wealthiest

Americans at the expense of our national security. This president apparently thinks a price tag should be placed on our safety. I don't."

[mmonk]

11. I would respond

that we're keeping the tax cuts for the middle and lower classes and returning the tax rate for those making over 200k to the rates under Clinton when the country experienced its most unprecedented prosperity and had a budget surplus. I will also give tax incentives to companies that bring back the jobs they are currently out sourcing with this administration's blessing. That way, we can turn away from the current track of a debtor nation with falling wages.

Keep it simple for there are alot of people out there with simple minds (note that the worst presidency in US history is still viable and in the race).

[stopbush]

12. Simple: "Unless you make $250,000 per year, you didn't receive a tax cut."

Now, I don't know if $250,000 is the correct number, but it would help if Kerry would put a number to the top 5% of income earners.

He could then follow that up by saying, "if you make under $250,000 per year, your so-called tax cut was $300-600. That tax cut was actually an advance on the tax refund you would have received anyway. You got that "tax cut" a few years ago. In the meanwhile, all of your other expenses have gone way up, at the city level, at the state level...and at the mall. In fact, you're probably going through that tax cut every two months just in higher prices at the gas pump."

He needs to put a dollar figure on who really got a tax cut.

[durablend]

13. Even more simple...

If you don't have a JOB, you're not getting a tax cut!

[NewJeffCT]

14. Lots of ways

When President Bush took office, the wealthiest Americans paid the majority of the income taxes in this country. Now, however, with his tax breaks targeting the rich, the recently released XYZ (forgot the name) nonpartisan study indicates that the middle class pays the majority of the income taxes in this country. Combine that with lower overall wages, rising health care costs and property taxes, and skyrocketing prices for things like college, milk and gasoline, and the lower & middle class people are the ones feeling the burden of President Bush's irresponsible tax breaks for the rich.

Yes, too wordy, I know.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi kerrywinsin2004!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: