Clark Lays Out Economic Plan For Presidency - Reducing Bush Tax Cuts Would Pay for Security

Washington Post ^ | Thursday, September 25, 2003 | By Jim VandeHei

[So Cal Rocket]

Retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark offered the first domestic plan of his young presidential campaign yesterday, calling for a reduction of the Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $200,000 to pay for new spending on homeland security, state governments and job-creation programs.

(snip)

Clark said households earning $200,000 or more should forfeit some of their scheduled tax cuts and direct that "money to three job-creating funds": to create jobs for firefighters, customs officials and others tasked with defending the homeland; to help state and local governments meet education, health care and other financial needs; and to provide tax incentives to businesses that hire new employees in 2004 or 2005.

(snip)

[So Cal Rocket]

Typical Democrat/Socialist move - take money from the job creators (business owners and entreprenuers typically make more than $200K/household) and give the money to the Government in order to create jobs.

All this does is move employment from the private sector to the public sector... and does so inefficiently.

[Bringbackthedraft]

More government jobs = more Dem voters.

[You Dirty Rats]

Now we know why Clark entered the race. I mean, none of the other 'Rats have discussed soaking the rich, right?

This guy is not a series candidate.

[Dilbert56]

Of course he's serious. He's got the strategy for dealing with communism - embrace it. After all, people making less that $200,000 aren't protected by the government. Why should they have to pay for it.

[RightWhale]

a reduction of the Bush tax cuts

As if that will make a difference. He ought to propose raising taxes. Be a modern Mondale. That should work.

[taxcontrol]

.... a reduction of the Bush tax cuts ....

---

Come on, you can say it - it's CALLED a Tax Hike.

[joesnuffy]

Like Gen Shelton said...Clark has some "character issues".....

Like difficulty with telling the same truth to one person and telling a different truth to the next person...for example...

He's Clintonista material alright...

[JohnGalt]

The disconcerting part is that Bush's strategy to just 'print the difference' makes it hard for conservatives to get excited.

Bush needs to make a spending cut somewhere/anywhere in order to maneuver around such D inspired gimmickry.

[VRWC_minion]

Was there a fire recently that didn't have fire fighters available ?

[Zack Nguyen]

Was there a fire recently that didn't have fire fighters available ?

LOL. I doubt it, BUT HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?!

[Jhensy]

"money to three job-creating funds": to create jobs for firefighters, customs officials and others tasked with defending the homeland....

What crap. "Uhhh....firefrighters....and, uh, yeah, you know, customs officials and.....uhhhhhh.......OTHERS, yeah, others!"

And how do you 'create' jobs for firemen? Should we start setting more fires or something?

[OldFriend]

The President has cut the increase in spending.

Considering the hit to our economy on 9/11, I think the President and the country is doing extremely well.

As a woman of a certain age, I remember food rationing, gasoline rationing and an extensive array of deprivations. Consider that aside from the attack by the Japanese, the war in europe did not threaten us imminently. We pulled together, did without, and helped each other. Families fed other people's kids when the ration coupons ran out.

I feel shame for the whiners in our country today.

[JohnGalt]

He has done no such thing. The country is on the biggest three year spending spree since the Second World War.


And he is talking about another program to loot younger generations to pay for free drugs for the elderly who already are on the Social Security dole.

Democrats will have an easy time drawing parity with Bush on issues of the economy if he doesn't do something.

[OldFriend]

The President has not proposed a universal prescription drug payment. He has proposed helping needy seniors get private prescription insurance.

[JohnGalt]

By 'helping' you mean giving a hand-out to folks already on the Social Security dole, paid for with money collected from the folks who pay income taxes-- hence "looting younger generations."

Bush has a lot of work to do to convincingly defeat the Ds on the economy.

[kaktuskid]

Of course their ideas are WORSE!!!

[JohnGalt]

Agreed, don't get me wrong, that just does not translate well politically.

[finnman69]

This wont go over well in liberal high income cities like NY, LA and San Francisco where $200,000 is not a lot of money.

[finnman69]

Clark aint going to pass any of this with a Republican congress.Plus Clark has called for slashing the military's budget.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985684/posts
Clark Says He Would Have Voted for War(Clark wants to cut military)

"General Clark said his domestic priorities would include health insurance and rolling back parts of Mr. Bush's tax cuts. "I don't see why we can't have health insurance for every single American," he said. Asked how he would pay for it, General Clark said he was open to some cuts in the budget he is more familiar with — the Pentagon's. "The armed forces are a want machine," he said. "They are structured to develop want.""