Bush Uses NAACP Speech To Push Estate Tax Repeal

[BurtWorm]

Idiot.



http://thinkprogress.org/2006/07/20/bush-naacp/

President Bush addressed the NAACP today for the first time in his presidency. Speaking on behalf of his friend, multi-millionaire conservative BET founder Bob Johnson, Bush used the opportunity to promote the repeal of the estate tax on the ultra-rich:

One of my friends is Bob Johnson, founder of BET. He’s an interesting man. He believes strongly in ownership. He has been a successful owner. He believes strongly, for example, that the death tax will prevent future African-American entrepreneurs from being able to pass their assets from one generation to the next. He and I also understand that the investor class shouldn’t be just confined to the old definition of the investor class.

President Bush’s “death tax” pitch demonstrates his stunning disconnect from the African-American community. According to an American Progress analysis, just 59 African-Americans will pay the estate tax this year, and that number will drop to 33 in 2009.

Meanwhile, as of 2004, 24.7 percent of African-Americans lived under the poverty line (up from 22.7 in 2001) — that’s more than 9 million people. The number of times Bush mentioned “poverty” in his speech: 0.

[demnan]

1. Can't wait to read Boondocks this weekend

n/t

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Sweet Jesus, what an asshole! But also - what balls!

I'd never have the courage to spout that at a NAACP convention!

What balls!

[Mandate My Ass]

3. what an insult

I wish they had booed him off the stage.

[Ishoutandscream2]

4. Unbelievable! I know this is a big issue with African-Americans

:sarcasm:

[bleedingheart]

5. as I guessed...a bit of ole Horatio Alger....

basically trying to insinuate that "you too can be rich"..."and you don't want to pay those death taxes do ya?"

[liberal N proud]

6. Let's see, Give the rich more and the poor less

The shit this guy does makes it difficult to even comprehend and form an intelligent remark, so here is mine: What a dumb ass!

[JHB]

7. Bush has a "stunning disconnect" from EVERYBODY

It's not like he cares what they think.

So he kept to his MO: when in front of a crowd, pitch his agenda.

[Crankie Avalon]

8. "One of my best friends is black...

...so don't you want him and me to get out of paying our share, 'Superflies' or whatever it is y'all call yourselves?"

[LSK]

9. WHAT?!?!?!

CAN THIS SOB BE ANY MORE CLUELESS?!?!?!?!

:wow:

[underpants]

10. Trust me they did this just to get that kind of response

They knew there was no winning with him going there so they did it just so they could make what happens in November seem plausible and to have themselves a laugh with W talking about "death tax" to the blacks.

[BurtWorm]

13. You're absolutely right.

This was just an exercise in absurdity for them. There's no downside to going to the NAACP and acting like an asshole for the base.

[Jacobin]

24. Yep. This was done to fire up his bigoted base

They can watch his performance and watch the minority audience ooze hate and then know for certain that Bush is their man....no doubts about it at all...will reconfirm their faith that if the blacks hate him, then he's The Man.

I know lots of these people unfortunately and you are precisely correct

[underpants]

25. THE wedge issue without dropping the N word

Whose side ARE you on?? Hmmmm?

Rove isn't a genius but he knows what he is doing.

[durrrty libby]

11. So what kind of response did he get? n/t

[smoogatz]

15. Weak applause at the end. Some heckling.

No pie throwing, alas.

[liberal N proud]

16. Some photos here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1683701

[durrrty libby]

17. Thanks for the pics

I'm surprised that there was any applause.

[peacetalksforall]

12. I'm sure they all stood up and whistled, clapped, and waived. Statistics.

Get those statistics out there.

[NJCher]

14. rich African-Americans support repealing the inheritance tax

It's a fact. He's talking to the same rich 2 per cent as he normally does.

Yet it's appallingly stupid that he would think he could find that 2 per cent at the NAACP meeting. This message was "catapulting the propaganda" (going straight to the rich 2 per cent via the media), not those African Americans who are concerned with the well being of society as a whole.




Cher

[Bjorn Against]

18. All 59 of them?

Because as the original post states only 59 African Americans will pay the estate tax this year. No I think Bush meant this as a slap in the face to the black community, he wanted to blow them off in a way that he knew he could get away with.

He is both able to look like he is embracing the black community and ignoring them at the same time.

[smoogatz]

19. Bush has no agenda for the poor.

Except to let them join the army or starve. All he can talk about is "ownership"--this from a guy who's never done a hard day's work or earned an honest dollar in his life.

[tgnyc]

20. Here's a brief rundown of the whole speech:

www.intelligencesquad.com/id146.html

[BurtWorm]

22. Excellent rundown!

Thanks for that link. :toast:

[eppur_se_muova]

21. This headline is from "The Onion", right? RIght? RIGHT??

Oh, sweet Jeebuzz ...

[sinkingfeeling]

23. To Bush anyone with over a couple million is 'one of my friends'.

[mhatrw]

26. Only because he already repealed the plantation tax. n/t