ONCE MORE, THE BULLHORN

Newsweek ^ | 1/12/03 | George Will

[Wait4Truth]

Bush’s Chicago economic speech should have been noted in Baghdad because it showed that he is feeling feisty and not flinching from fights.

Jan. 20 issue — The President’s economic policy announced last Tuesday in Chicago refutes the notion that today’s disputes between the two parties express merely “the narcissism of small differences.” The president spoke the day the 108th Congress convened, and what he said means that the 108th will bear some resemblance to the 97th. It convened in January 1981 and eight months later passed the landmark legislation of that decade, President Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts.

[Wait4Truth]

Interesting article about our "feisty" President...

[Wait4Truth]

By the way, the author is George Will.

[Wphile]

I was wondering who the author was. Bravo to W. Go get 'em!

[Nick Danger]

Democrats propose a $31 billion bailout.

Of the states? Why? Where do they propose to get this money, except from people in the states? Why don't they let the states worry about that? Why do we need to have the money go from the states to Washington, and then back again? So that Washington bureaucrats can take a cut off the top as a processing fee?

They just don't want those Governors out there to have to tell people the truth: state government got fat and happy during the boom years, and now they don't want to cut back. Well, tough.

[Wait4Truth]

Thanks for the help in pinging people! Since this is a POSITIVE editorial, many will ignore it. I really liked this article from Will.

[Wphile]

The bail out to the States is the worst possible public policy. There is no reason why the citizens of Colorado - where they have a surplus and must use a balanced budget, without tax increases - should have to pay for the liberal spending of Californians, Washingtonians, etc.

It's pathetic. California's spending rose something like 20% during the boom years. It's time for THEM to pay the piper, not the rest of us.

[Wait4Truth]

The President has guts. The media was saying he had to give tons of money to the states and he didn't. They said he couldn't renominate Pickering, Owen and Estrada and he did. They said he had to side with affirmative action in Michigan...looks like he's not going to. They said he had to shave his growth plan in half and he didn't. Looks like he is ready to fight. And the states will have to impose spending cuts of their own...there is going to be screaming like we've never heard before up on Capitol Hill...unfortunately, some of it is from our side - like McCain, Voinivich, Collins, etc...the usual suspects. I hope the President flattens their a$$es and reminds them that they would still be in the minority if it weren't for him.

[Mo1]

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[Wait4Truth]

LINK TO ARTICLE, George Will

[dighton]

Good piece.

I'm pinging SM to make two adjustments: crediting George Will, and changing the article-in-full to an excerpt. (Newsweek is owned by the Washington Post).

[SuziQ]

Having been advised to mollify critics by merely cutting in half the taxation of dividends, Bush proposed elimination of that taxation.

I believe that Pres. Bush is a master of the 'art of compromise'. What is fun to watch, however, is how he aims very high for what he says he wants, when what he knows he can get is, in reality, short of that mark. If he aims for only what he thinks he can get, he will get less, given political realities. This way he knows he will very often get exactly what he wanted in the first place!

I had not heard that info about the unemployment benefits. The President's conservative detractors had immediately jumped on the extension of benefits as 'proof' that he wasn't any different from the Democrats. I believe that the reading of this plan blows that theory out of the water. He is doing his level best to get people back to work! The idea that folks have a REAL incentive to get back to work as soon as possible shows that his concern is truly for people, not just their votes!

It also shows the necessity of waiting to read any plans the President has rather than just listening to the news and creating knee-jerk opinions from what the pundits have to say.

[SuziQ]

They just don't want those Governors out there to have to tell people the truth: state government got fat and happy during the boom years, and now they don't want to cut back. Well, tough.

Very good point. States have to learn to tighten their belts as well. They have to learn to do things in a more efficient way. The example of the 'cigarette money' is perfect! Some states got millions of dollars as a result of the settlements with the cigarette manufacturers, which they were supposed to use to help in curbing smoking in their states. Instead, they used the money to start even MORE new programs unrelated to smoking and health, and got the people of the states used to them. It is much easier to NOT start a new program than to try to kill one that is already established in the minds of people.

[McLynnan]

It's pathetic. California's spending rose something like 20% during the boom years. It's time for THEM to pay the piper, not the rest of us.

You took the words out of my mouth, no offense to any Californians on the thread. The article says the states face a $70 billion shortfall, and that $35 billion of that figure is in California alone. Why should taxpayers in the other 49 states be expected to give California half of the total deficit for all 50 states?

[Paulus Invictus]

Do not fail to read David Frum's new book, "The Right Man!" It comforted me and cooled my conservative anger down a bit. It contains insights into his extraordinary character and that of his associates that I hadn't known.

President Bush is the right man at the right time in the right place and he's from the right side of the political spectrum--a great combination!

[Wait4Truth]

Oops! Sorry! Thanks for your help!

[Wait4Truth]

It also shows the necessity of waiting to read any plans the President has rather than just listening to the news and creating knee-jerk opinions from what the pundits have to say.

It is also wise to ignore the knee-jerk reactions of some on FR...they usually end up with egg on their faces after days of flame wars. These are the people that said Bush was going to choose a pro-abortion VP, remember? And that is just one example.

[Wait4Truth]

I finished Frums' book two days ago. I, too, appreciated his perspective. I didn't agree with every single thing he said but the character of George W. Bush definitely came through. The main reason people get immediately negative about the President is because he does not show up on the TV screen every 10 minutes to explain himself and his plans. Instead of TV time, he is putting plans into action. And then, suddenly, all the naysayers are dumb-founded when he does exactly or close to what they wanted him to do. He really does love to be underestimated, even by his own party.

[MarkM]

The Democrat "plan" is designed not to solve problems but to prolong a sluggish economy. A large part of the Dem plan is taxpayer aid to states so the states can continue their excessive spending.

The presidents plan is not too big. It is whats needed. The size is about $60 billion a year. Thats about 3% of the 2 trillion dollar federal budget. But federal income goes up more than 3% each year. And the Bush plan will strengthen the economy so there will be more income to tax.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Democrats are advocating large hidden tax increases. This is because large portions of the federal tax code are not indexed for inflation or economic growth so people end up paying a larger part of their income to federal taxes every year.

Japan and Germany have tried a version of the Democrat "plan". (public spending and tax increases) They both have gotten a stagnant economy in recent years. We don't want that in America.

[kayak]

With thanks to Registered for another of his great creations .......

[summer]

Thanks for the ping, kayak. Nice job, Registered! :)