Policy Memo: Kerry's 1993 Tax Vote

George W. Bush ^ | August 12, 2004

[RWR8189]

Today's Remarks By John Kerry

It is interesting to note that John Kerry's delivered remarks today differed in an important way from his prepared remarks.

As Delivered:
"Our plan will cut the deficit in half by four years – the same thing that we set out to do in 1993, and I was there and I voted for it, I know how we did it. And we're going to end the tax giveaways that are nothing more than corporate welfare."

As Prepared:
"Our plan will cut the deficit in half in four years by ending tax giveaways that are nothing more than corporate welfare."

John Kerry said, "I know how we did it" in 1993, but he doesn't finish the thought. They did it with the largest tax increase in American history.

John Kerry has been traveling the country telling Americans that he is going to cut taxes on the middle class. This is the same thing Bill Clinton said in 1992, before he raised taxes as President and then told the country, "I think I raised them too much."

During the 1992 campaign, Clinton told voters: "I'm not going to raise taxes on middle class Americans." We have heard the same from John Kerry. Today's accidental comment may simply be the obvious truth that he cannot politically acknowledge.

Kerry Voted For Largest Tax Increase In History

Running For President In 1992 Clinton Said: "I'm Not Going To Raise Taxes On Middle Class Americans." "But I can tell you this: I'm not going to raise taxes on middle class Americans to pay for the programs I've recommended. Read my plan. And you know how you can trust me about that? Because you know, in the first debate, Mr. Bush made some news. He had just said Jim Baker was going to be Secretary of State, but in the first debate he said no, now he's going to be responsible for domestic policy. Well, I'll tell you, I'll make some news in the third debate: The person responsible for domestic economic policy in my administration will be Bill Clinton. I'm going to make those decisions, and I won't raise taxes in the middle class to pay for my program." (Gov. Bill Clinton [D-AR], Presidential Debate In East Lansing, Michigan, 10/19/92)

Bob Rubin Says Kerry Won't Reveal Proposals Until Elected. RICH MILLER: "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 the deficit problem, won't he have to raise other taxes as well?" BOB RUBIN: "I don't think you can make proposals to try to dig out of this hole until you've gotten elected and until you've organized effectively across both parties and both houses. If you start to put out proposals now, they would be vigorously attacked, and they would in effect become tainted so they couldn't be used." (Rich Miller, "Robert Rubin: Embrace Kerry," Business Week Online, 8/2/04)

Kerry Voted Twice For Clinton's $241 Billion Tax Hike. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #190: Passed 50-49: R 0-43; D 49-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 6/25/93, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 51-50: R 0-44; D 50-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 8/6/93, Kerry Voted Yea)

• Late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) Called Bill "Largest Tax Increase In History." Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) described the 1993 Clinton/Kerry tax hike as "the largest tax increase in the history of public finance in the United States or anywhere else in the world." (Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Congressional Record, 3/18/93, p. S3126)
• In 2000, Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) Called Clinton Plan "Biggest Tax Increase In The History Of The Country." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 1/23/00)

Kerry Has Claimed Democrats Didn't Raise Taxes On Middle Class Under Clinton. "We Democrats, real Democrats. We balanced the budget. … [W]e did it without raising taxes on middle class Americans." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 7/31/03)

But Clinton/Kerry Tax Hikes Hit Middle Class Hard. "[M]any people who are not wealthy will be affected by the tax increases, some in ways that have been widely heralded, but others in ways that may come as a surprise. Gasoline taxes are going up; so are taxes on many people's Social Security benefits. Anyone who moves for a new job might lose certain deductions of expenses, whether he is Croesus or Cratchit." (John H. Cushman Jr., "The Budget Struggle," The New York Times, 8/8/93)

• Kerry Knew Bill Increased Taxes On People Making As Little As $30,000 A Year. "The bill also raises taxes – 75 percent from those who make over $100,000 and 25 percent from those who make between $30,000 and $100,000. I wish that we did not need to raise taxes, but every serious economist … has admitted that the budget cannot be balanced without increasing taxes somewhat." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 6/29/93, p. S8268) 
• Even Bill Clinton Admitted That Kerry-Supported Tax Increase Went Too Far. "Probably there are people in this room still mad at me … because you think I raised your taxes too much. It might surprise you to know that I think I raised them too much, too." (E. J. Dionne Jr., "...And Clinton's Blunder," The Washington Post, 10/24/95)

Kerry Said He Was "Proud" Of Vote For Largest Tax Increase In History. "I am proud to have supported and voted for [Clinton's] economic plan …" ("Senate Debate," [Springfield, MA] Union-News/The Sunday Republican, 10/20/96)

[tomnbeverly]

Thats what I'm talking about specifics like these need to get out to the middle class. After Kerry rolls back Bushs tax cuts (from the wealthly read small busniess) there will be huge unemployment because the small business growth was attributed to the Bush tax cuts. Then Kerry will raise taxes on everybody still working and shove the money into welfare programs to support those who aren't working and we will be right back in the days of Jimmy Carter.

[lepton]

bookmark bump

[Defender2]

Reminds me of "Prince John" trying to take Richard the "Lion Hearted"'s throne.(Thank heavens for Ivanhoe and Robin of Loxley.)

[sgtbono2002]

900 billion dollar health plan, 100,000 Firefighters to be hired, 50,000 cops, More teachers, and more money for schools. Cut the deficit in half. Kerry doesnt need a plan he needs a frickin miracle.

[Iam1ru1-2]

No, Kerry won't need a miracle, he'll just use his excuse of a failed memory and say, "I think you misinterpreted what I said. I explicitely remember that moment because it was seared, seared into my memory, and I don't recall saying that I would not raise taxes on the middle class. I just said I would decrease the deficit by half in my first 4 years as president, but even that was conditional. I only meant it would decrease by half if everything was peachy keen, you know.....no wars, no inflation, deflation, depression, gas prices staying steady, and no unemployment. That's the condition I laid out for this scenario to happen. Now I've got to go. I made a promise to the wonderful people of Oregon that I would go back there and do some wind surfing, which will only cost me a couple hundred bucks round trip.

[Defender2]

"Reminds me of "Prince John" trying to take Richard the "Lion Hearted"'s throne.(Thank heavens for Ivanhoe and Robin of Loxley.)"

(Of Sir Walter Scott's fame of course.)