Kerry MUST Strike Back on Bogus Tax Hike Issue NOW.

[ulTRAX]

Even though it's clear that Bush's pro-rich tax policies are as despicable as they are dangerous, Bush is going to beat Kerry to death on the tax issue. Kerry needs to nip this issue in the bud. But how should Kerry respond? Here's some ideas....

I believe that Kerry needs to start be defining responsible tax policy... and a key criteria is to balance the budget and to pay down the debt in preparation for the Baby Boom retirement. Kerry MUST flesh out the key numbers such as the TRUE extent of the Bush deficits... the new debt Bush has added.... how much more difficult it will be to pay back Social Security etc.

Once the above is done... Kerry MUST explain that the GOP is NOT the party of fiscal responsibility. It has been taken over by radicals who use sabotaging revenues as a political weapon. The numbers prove that over the past 20 years... Republicans create massive deficits while Democrats tame them.

Kerry MUST explain that it took TWENTY YEARS to climb out of the sea of red ink that Reagan created with his irresponsible tax cuts. After all that hard work Clinton and the GOP just about broke even. Bush cut revenues before ANY real debt paydown was made.

In 2000 tax cuts were ONLY discussed because there was a surplus. Yet the American People WISELY voted AGAINST Bush's tax cuts. Now even as we bleed red ink... Bush wants round four.

In 2000 Bush ran on strengthening SS first... and tax cuts were secondary. Yet there is NO evidence that Bush EVER plans to strengthen SS... and ALL the evidence is that he wants to put it in peril. Is this idea of Bush's faith based retirement plan for the American People?

Restoring taxes is NOT the same as raising taxes. Even if the wealthy have tax levels restored.... they STILL got a massive cut for 3-4 years.

[madmax]

1. Check this website

http://blog.johnkerry.com/dbunker/

George Bush's Credibility Problem: The Truth Behind His New Attack Ad
FICTION: From the New Bush Attack Ad: “A president sets his agenda for America in the first 100 days. John Kerry's plan: To pay for new government spending, raise taxes by at least $900 billion.”

FACT: The $900 billion ad is completely false. The Bush Cheney Campaign uses Weapons of Deception and Distortion because they can’t have an honest debate about jobs and taxes. Bush's ad takes Kerry’s statement out of context. John Kerry said: “In my first hundred days in the White House, I will roll back George Bush’s tax cut for the wealthiest so that we can invest in education and health care.” John Kerry will cut, not increase taxes on middle class families.

Continue reading this entry...

[underpants]

2. Why would anyone believe their numbers?

That is what he should lead with. It is being reported today that the actual costs of the Medicare bill were kept secret until after the vote (check LBN).

All he has to do is use it to show that the Republicans have been way off with regards to:
-jobs that the tax cuts would create
-cost of the war in Iraq (Wolfowitz said $1.7 Billion total)
-the number of unemployed
-their budget simply doesn't add up
-etc.

[ulTRAX]

4. Dems Need To Educate Voters NOW

underpants wrote: "Why would anyone believe their numbers? That is what he should lead with. It is being reported today that the actual costs of the Medicare bill were kept secret until after the vote (check LBN)."

The same accusation was made about the Bush numbers in 2000... If I remember correctly he was counting the same trillion bucks twice. Just making that claim is too abstract. The Dems need to make the numbers real and fully explain how our on-off budget process works. They really need someone out there with pie charts ala Ross Perot. In fact I think that the Dems need a strategic education program starting NOW to help inoculate voters against Bush's lies and distortions.

[The Zanti Regent]

3. Here is an idea

When Chimp says that Kerry wants to raise your taxes, Kerry responds by saying that Bush wants to raise YOUR DEBT

[ulTRAX]

6. interest vs tax cuts

A few years ago when annual interest on the debt was some 360 BILLION... that averaged to $1200 per PERSON. Compare that to those $300 rebates 0f 2001.

Interest on the national debt is the BIGGEST waste of money in the budget... and no politician ever mentions it. I think it'd be a great club to pound Bush with. While these interest costs are down the past few years... the national debt is UP some 1.4 trillion under Bush. Interest rates are NOT going to stay low forever.

[nostamj]

5. he should provide the numbers on how much

the affluent have already received and ask the question:

is that enough yet?

really SHOVE the 'greed factor' out there. the votes of the richest will not be enough.

let the working poor (and the out-of-work middle class) know exactly how much is being handed over to people who simply do not NEED the money

[ulTRAX]

8. Bush's own tax cut

Kerry could show that even if tax rates were restored to Clinton levels on the wealthiest Americans... George Bush, and his wealthy family, would STILL have gotten a $XXXXX tax cut for those years.

Unless Kerry plans to take that back... how is that a tax HIKE?

Hell... I believe that Kerry should RAISE those taxes above Clinton levels to RECOUP those revenue losses. That would just be a revenue-neutral move.

[Jacobin]

7. Greenspan just said taxes will have to increase

I thought greenspan was a repuke hero?...oh well, i guess not anymore

[BabsSong]

9. Two things

1. I believe they said today that Kerry is releasing ads like soon addressing that.

2. Kerry needs to counter with: With this gagging debt and Bush still wanting to give more tax cuts to the wealthiest, someone obviously has to pay this debt. How long, America, into a second term of Bush do you think it's going to be before he raises YOUR taxes in order to coddle the rich?? Greenspan says taxes need to raised, so Americans, you ask yourselves if Bush doesn't want to touch his holy 1% at the top, whose pocket do you think he's going to pick??? If you re-elect him, get ready to pay for it.

[ulTRAX]

10. Change The Baseline from Bush era to Clinton era

Bush's attacks are based upon using his IRRESPONSIBLE tax policies as the baseline. Bush ignore the fact they have proven to be a disaster.

I think Kerry should keep pounding away that the CLINTON era is the baseline... for it's THOSE policies that got rid of the deficits. Doesn't anyone remember how good the nation felt when we were running a surplus? All that hard work by BOTH parties was lost with Bush's irresponsible tax cuts.

As part of this strategy, it then may be possible to sneak in the "restore tax level" line as opposed to letting Bush define the debate as Kerry trying to "raise taxes".

[ulTRAX]

11. ROTF: Kerry's "Morning In America"

I'd love for Kerry to steal Reagan's old theme to apply it fiscal policy. After a 20 year long struggle, We The People finally reached a true budget surplus. Man, he could play this up as a positive with a new Morning in America ad campaign!

It'd be a hoot!