Conservatives fear tax-increase deal

THE WASHINGTON TIMES ^ | December 19, 2006 | By Stephen Dinan

[PDR]

The Bush administration has sent signals since last month's elections that the president is prepared to accept some tax increases on upper-income families, worrying congressional Republicans and fiscal conservative watchdogs who say he will compromise with Democrats to win a legacy accomplishment. These moves come even as Democrats have pledged to rein in earmarks, winning praise from the same conservative groups that are criticizing Mr. Bush. The watchdog groups have been demanding that the president repeat his earlier pledges not to raise taxes in order to reform Social Security. But the White House has refused, with officials saying everything is on the table, including tax increases. "So far, no one in the administration has simply stood up and said, 'We will not raise payroll taxes in any way, shape or form,' " said Pete Sepp, a vice president for the National Taxpayers Union, which led a coalition of several dozen groups to write a letter asking for such an assurance. Meanwhile, the House's top Republican on tax cuts, outgoing Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, warned last week that the White House has hinted that it will accept a tax increase on higher-income families in order to win accommodations from Democrats.

[PDR]

what signals?

[samtheman]

Refusing to say "no new taxes". That's what signal.

[AppyPappy]

" upper-income families"

When the Democrats say "upper income", they mean middle-class. You have to go below $100k to reach a meaninful number of income earners.

[brownsfan]

"When the Democrats say "upper income", they mean middle-class. You have to go below $100k to reach a meaninful number of income earners."

Exactly. To the Dems, any family making more than $50k is wealthy. In a leftist paradise, every family would make exactly $10k per person, with any unmet needs being filled by the government.

The only thing I hate more than spineless Republicans is liberal Democrats.

[dl5192]

Like father, like son. If it weren't for 9/11 and the "war on terror," this president would have absolutely nothing in the accomplishments column. Even with those things, there is a strong argument that he has accomplsihed nothing and mired us in a quagmire. What a complete joke the entire Bush family is.

[PDR]

ive heard them say that.. any number of times, repeatedly and since the election.

[PDR]

how about the strongest economy in the history of mankind.

[samtheman]

Asked twice in recent weeks about the president's plans, White House press secretary Tony Snow wouldn't rule tax increases out.
"I'm not ruling it up and I'm not ruling it down, because you know what, as you and I have seen in the past, definitions of these things can be very squirrelly," Mr. Snow told reporters at one briefing.

It's the signals they're sending now, that matter. Not any previous signals. It might be true. They might be getting ready to accept a tax increase.

[PDR]

and they might not be... you can see what you want to see -- doesn't mean its there or it isnt

[Patriot28]

Don't you wish we could go back to the 2000 primaries and do things differently?

[eyedigress]

Keep in mind the Bills that weren't pushed through. A Democratic leadership is going to be hell on all of us.

[EagleUSA]

Taxing us into hard socialism. That is where they are headed...and the Dems seem to be getting everything they want just by asking...

[samtheman]

That's what the story is about. In the Washington Times. Quoting Tony Snow. I'll tell you what, I feel a lot more comfortable these days expecting the worst from Bush than you probably do expecting the best.

On Iraq, I now believe he is retaining a firm hand on the tiller.

But everything else is up for negotiation.

Live with it. That's the way it is. For the next 2 years.

[magoo70804]

If he particip0ates in any way, directly or indirectly, in raising taxes, he will create a "41/43" legacy - he will hurt a generation of Republicans except those spineless RINO fools from the Northeast.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Right, and in the mean time conservatives argue about who is more conservative than the other, and shoot themselves in the foot.

While the Democrats have cleverly figured out what divide and conquer really means.....

[hubbubhubbub]

You're on very powerful drugs.

[stockstrader]

The President has floated by the idea of raising the 'income ceiling' on SS. This idea has been floated by only 'taking rate increases' off the table when discussing SS. The President has never ruled out raising the ceiling. He is on the record as ONLY opposing SS rate increases.

If, in fact, he DOES raise taxes by raising the ceiling as some kind of deal on SS--he will have MOST CERTAINLY cemented his legacy,,,,but it won't be the legacy he thinks it will be.

[Wallace T.]

Increasing income taxes on persons with higher incomes will disproportionately affect the two most strongly Democratic regions in the country: the Northeast and the West Coast, due to higher per capita and family income in those states. What remaining conservative strength exists in those regions are in lower income, less urbanized areas like inland California, Oregon, and Washington, northern and central Pennsylvania, and western and central New York. The limousine liberals, metrosexuals, and soccer moms in the upscale suburbs of these regions will be adversely impacted.

These affluent fools will get what they asked for.

[MrRights]

Well, gotta pay for the healthcare for millions of illegal aliens somehow.

[jpl]

There was a time when I actually believed that this President was principled.

The sorry Don Rumsfeld situation told me everything I needed to know, and this only confirms it.