"Uncivil Discourse: Bush pressures Dems to fall in line for his final year."
That's how Newsweek.com teases a Richard Wolffe Web Exclusive analysis of President George W. Bush's final State of the Union address. Wolffe lamented the bitter partisanship in Washington, noting that the Bush-Pelosi-Boehner agreement on an economic stimulus plan was "the rare exception" of "respect and cooperation" that "is hard to find in the halls of Congress at the end of the Bush era."
Too bad, Wolffe gripes, that President Bush used his final State of the Union to chide Congress for failing to make tax cuts permanent (emphasis mine):
Instead of offering ground for cooperation, the president continued the pattern he set in the earliest months of his presidency: to insist on cooperation on his terms. His first substantive policy issue was taxes. He warned Democrats that they had to make his tax cuts permanent—something he could have done years ago, rather than waiting until election time to corner his opponents. "Some in Washington argue that letting tax relief expire is not a tax increase," he explained. "Try explaining that to 116 million American taxpayers who would see their taxes rise by an average of $1,800. Others have said they would personally be happy to pay higher taxes. I welcome their enthusiasm, and I am pleased to report that the IRS accepts both checks and money orders." So much for the civil and respectful tone of debate on taxes.
Of course, none of what the president said was uncivil or disrespectful. It was decidedly sharp and aimed at directing taxpayer ire and public pressure on the Democratic Congress towards the end of accomplishing permanency for the 2001 tax cuts.
But given the fears about recession that Wolffe's own magazine is engendering --see "The U.S. Economy Faces the Guillotine" -- isn't it laughable for Newsweek to worry Bush is too partisan and unyielding in pursuit of tax relief?
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Newsweek Tax Cuts
January 29, 2008 - 12:23 ET by Lame CherryIs not Mort Zuckerman the owner of Newsweek who rides around in his own private jet being a mega millionaire liberal star?
People need to realize that there are only so many tax dollars and rich people like Zuckerman need poor people to pay hefty amounts for their liberal handouts like underwriting African aid, Israeli aid, Muslim aid and buying minority votes in America.
See if these poor people are not gouged again then Mort will have to cut back and pay more. He might even have to ride in a commercial flight instead of his 45 million dollar jet WHICH IS ALL DEDUCTABLE and you the Newsbuster group are paying for.
Mort has never offered to fly me anywhere all these years, but his jet is paid for by all Americans. He is the biggest corporate welfare huckster like all liberals including land baron Ted Turner.
Stop by Ted's million acre ranch syndicate sometime and tell them you want to see the land your taxes paid for while Ted got deductions like all the big shots do and bitch about little guys getting tax breaks so they can repair their kids teeth.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
I love the headline:
January 29, 2008 - 12:29 ET by motherbeltI love the headline: "Uncivil Discourse (Bush pressures dems to fall in line )" (emphasis added) with an angry-looking President Bush.
When Democrats pressure Republicans to give in, it's described as "a call for bipartisanship."
Pathetic.
Never ceases to amaze me
January 29, 2008 - 12:26 ET by exLibAs we frequently discuss here Bush is no conservative.
He has "worked together" with Ted Kennedy on NCLB, but that wasn't good enough for the libs and didn't count.
He "worked together" with almost all the libs to get a resolution regarding Iraq, but the libs crossed their fingers on that one. Didn't count again.
Bush tries to get anmensty for Illegals, doesn't count.
Bush has reached across the aisle MANY times and yet it never seems to count.
Any time Bush or Republicans stand on Princilple, it's they who are being unreasonable and patisan.
Whenever Democrats draw a line in the sand, and they do it way more often that Republicans, it's always a principled stand.
Agree with Democrats on ALL issues and THEN you will be a uniter.
How does anyone think that a Democrat in the WH is going to "Bring the Country Together". I guess they think Conservatives will do the right thing...
When has Newsweek, or any
January 29, 2008 - 12:31 ET by mattmWhen has Newsweek, or any other Left-Wing media outlet ever treated Bush with the least bit of civility?
Never
January 29, 2008 - 12:36 ET by exLibLiberals get all upset when someone calls their bluff on raising taxes.
Finally Bush does it himself. You want to pay more taxes, go ahead.
But of course, that's not the point. I've never met a liberal who wanted to pay more taxes.
Newsweek belongs in the
January 29, 2008 - 12:36 ET by bigtimerNewsweek belongs in the Comic section....
If the tax cuts are not made permanent
January 29, 2008 - 13:05 ET by c5thenHere is what is likely to happen...
Next year when the tax cuts expire, 116 million Americans will see their Federal Taxes jump by an average of $1800. These are the small business owners and the entrapaneurs who are helping to create the highest sustained employment rate in our history. They will have no choice but to reduce their spending to pay for the increase and the future increases that are likely. In addition, the capital gains tax rate will jump back up to the individuals tax rate and so investing will significantly slow up.
Results: Those in the "sweet spot" of consumerism will vastly curtail their consuming while the jobs market dries up and unemployment rises, the stock market will fall as people sell their investments to pay for the capital gains. We will look back on 2007 as the "good old days" as we plumet out of a slow-down and go shooting headlong into a recession.
2009 and 2010 are looking pretty grim unless the taxcuts are made permanent.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
I thought this was the best
January 29, 2008 - 13:28 ET by Free ThinkerI thought this was the best part of the speech and it is easy to see how such a liberal rag like Newsweek would be upset with the President for embarassing the democrats. The smug look on Charlie Rangle's face when Bush said this was unbelievable. Democrats want to raise taxes but not call it a tax increase nor do they seem to want to take responsibility for the consequences of such an action. Frankly, I don't think they understand the consequences of such action.
Was B-HO wearing a Senate FLag lapel pin at the SOU
January 29, 2008 - 14:52 ET by JayTeeThe Stimulis IS a Tax Cut...unless the Senate adds on Welfare $$'s and extensions for the un-employment Insurance.
Stimulis: Congress and the president are now agreed on remedies that will not work, expending money they do not have, to fix a problem that may not exist. Steve Chapman