Posted on 12/05/2018 11:37:27 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson on Wednesday used his eulogy of George H.W. Bush as an opportunity to praise the former president for agreeing to raise taxes despite campaigning against it as a candidate.
Simpson, who co-chaired a 2010 commission aimed at reducing the debt through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, recounted how Bush came to support a 1990 budget deal that raised taxes.
“Congressional participants drafted a remarkable bill that dealt with two-year budgeting, entitlement reform, comprehensive and catastrophic healthcare, Social Security solvency, and much more,” he said. “But it required a critical ingredient called 'revenue,' translated into the word 'taxes,' translated into the words ‘read my lips.’”
Simpson was referencing Bush’s famous pledge during the 1988 campaign, “Read my lips, no new taxes.”
He continued, “The group went to George and said, ‘Look, we can get this package done, but we must have some revenue.’ And he said — and I'll never forget it — he said, 'What I have said on that subject sure puts a hell of a lot of heat on me.’ And then they all said, ‘Yes, but we can get it done, and it will be bipartisan.’ And George said, 'OK, go for it, but it will be a real punch in the gut.’”
Simpson went on to explain, “Bob Dole, then a loyal warrior for George, took it back to the Senate, and we won a very strong bipartisan vote. And it went over to the House where his own party turned on him — surely one of the factors ensuring his return to private life. But he often said, ‘When the really tough choices come, it’s the country, not me. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, it’s for our country that I fought for.’”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
GHWB knew it was a lie when he said “Read my lips...”
Jon Meacham’s hagiography reveals the post-election call Bush made to Dukakis.
In the following YouTube, I’ve reset the start point to a couple minutes before the admission, for context:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQIZo4lj8H4&feature=youtu.be&t=2556
” it’s for our country that I fought for.’”
I believe that to be totally sincere.
But raising taxes is NOT something you should be fighting for.
It didn’t help the country.
I looked at Ross Perot precisely because Bush broke his promise. I wanted him out. I think others felt the same way.
Bush created the Ross Perot phenomena.
Well, at least it worked and the debt was eliminated.
Both Simpson and Bush 41 were deliberately ignorant about political economy, even after Reagan schooled them. The ruling class will not shake its addiction to government revenues.
God, I hate this sh*t argument. The country's money problems have never been on the tax side, they have always been on the *SPENDING* side. Raising taxes *NEVER* solves the problem because spending goes up with taxes. (As it did in this case too.)
The idea that giving the junkie another hit will work out better this time is idiot stupid. It is not "best for the country" to give the junkie another hit. What is "best for the country" is keeping human garbage pieces of sh*t like Bill Clinton out of positions of power. *THAT* is what is best for the country, and Bush blew it in the most collossally stupid way possible.
I don't think there has ever been a worse political blunder in American history than breaking the promise that was the *ONLY* thing that made people want to vote for you.
Who are these people who thought giving the spending junkie another hit was going to be "best for the country"?
What is wrong with their thinking process?
Why isn’t there ever a discussion about cutting spending and how that’d be good for the country?
Go away Alan Simpson. Way past your SELL BY date.
Hey...... the man was great. Fantastic performance. He was there precisely because he needed to be there as a very close friend of the President 41
I especially liked the parts where he pulled the speech from his hip pocket and licked his finger to turn the pages of his speech
Conservative self righteous sanctimony elected Bill Clinton
Conservatives who stupidly voted for Ross Perot are responsible for the stain on monica’s blue Dress
I looked at Clinton and I looked at Perot. I finally went back to Bush, but only because I didn't have a non-evil/non-insane choice to pick from.
If the Democrats had nominated Sam Nunn, I would have vote for him just to get rid of that backstabbing Bush.
I agree. It was the tax lie not Perot that cost him a second term. At least where I’m from.
Then Bill raised taxes immediately again in 93.
“Conservative self righteous sanctimony elected Bill Clinton”
My recollection was the polls showed Clinton won even if Perot dropped out.
The good news was that Clinton winning led to Bush win.... never mind.
He was an honorable man and made the mistake of thinking he was dealing with honorable men. Mitchell was as slimy as as two oysters screwing in a bucket of snot.
Wasn’t there an indictment of Casper Winberger (sec Def) a couple weeks before the election when Bush had moved up almost even with Clinton. The polls flattened out, Clinton won, and the indictment was dropped. Everyone forgets this.
Bush trusted the wrong people. He paid his money without getting the goods. He should have used escrow.
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