NYT,pg1,lead: G.O.P. Senators Balk at Tax Cuts in Bush's Budget

[DeepModem Mom]

G.O.P. Senators Balk at Tax Cuts in Bush's Budget
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: March 10, 2005


WASHINGTON, March 9 - President Bush's plan to extend his tax cuts over the next five years ran into resistance in the Senate on Wednesday as Republican leaders offered a budget for 2006 that would undo more than a fourth of the cuts that Mr. Bush has requested.

Uneasy about the potential impact on the ballooning federal deficit, the Senate Republicans called for $70.2 billion in tax cuts over the next five years, as opposed to the estimated $100 billion the White House is seeking. It does not specify which cuts will be extended or which taxes might be restored, but Senator Judd Gregg, the New Hampshire Republican who is chairman of the Budget Committee, said his intent was to extend reductions on capital gains and dividend taxes, which are set to expire in 2008....

***

The Senate's proposal to scale back the extension of Mr. Bush's tax cuts comes at a time when Republicans are also feeling queasy about the White House's major domestic policy initiative for the year, overhauling Social Security. And the budget was not enough to mollify some Senate Republican moderates, who expressed concern Wednesday about extending the tax cuts at a time when the deficit is at a record high and domestic programs from farm subsidies to veterans' benefits and education are facing steep cuts.

Like the White House budget, both the Senate budget, introduced on Wednesday, and the $2.55 trillion House version, which Republicans pushed through the Budget Committee on Wednesday, promise to cut the deficit in half in five years, though Democrats dismiss that promise, saying extending the tax cuts would increase the deficit over current projections. Both the House and Senate would reduce spending on so-called entitlement programs, including Medicaid, the insurance plan for the poor, marking the first time since 1997 that Congress has sought to curb the growth of entitlements....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/10/politics/10budget.html

[TheFarseer]

1. How about NO TAX CUTS

When you have massive credit card debt and bills piling up do you quit your job? Why is less income the answer here? I just don't understand.

[Straight Shooter]

2. It's about time the Republicans started feeling queasy

I've been nauseous for over 4 years now.

[Zenlitened]

3. Oy, do we live in the age of spin!

Those prudent, steadfast, responsible repugs don't want $100 billion worth of tax cuts for the rich.

They only want $70 billion worth of tax cuts for the rich.

[andino]

4. Gotta love MSM

Gotta love how they say 'undo more than a fourth of the cuts' when if it would have been a democrat they would have said "wants to raise taxes"

[fasttense]

5. The rethugs are feeding spin to the media

to avoid looking like deficit junkies come election time.

[Skittles]

6. LOL - Karl will take them out to the woodshed in no time

guaranteed

[underpants]

11. This is a horse and pony show Delay will change it

Delay runs the whole hill. Frist is a suit.

[w4rma]

7. More that 1/4! A whole FOURTH! Such RESTRAINT!

</sarcasm>

I find it interesting how the NY Times is making these scumbags out to be so "worried" about the deficit while at the same time they are STILL giving bush almost everything he's asking for. And considering they are in the same political party and that they are secretive about everything, they are probably giving Bush *everything* he unofficially wants.

[bvar22]

8. Dems NEED to reframe this:

Cutting Taxes during deficit is EXACTLY THE SAME AS RAISING TAXES ON THE UNBORN

BUSH* and the REPUBLICANS
are RAISING TAXES on YOUR CHILDREN!!

Talk about TAXATION without REPRESENTATION!!

[Zenlitened]

9. That is a GREAT way to put it!

Very simple, very direct: "BUSH and the REPUBLICANS are RAISING TAXES on YOUR CHILDREN!"

:thumbsup:

[w4rma]

10. You need to fit in that these tax cuts are only for the upper-upper class

somehow. That is the most important drum to beat. Especially since the rest of our taxes would likely be lower if not for their outragously low tax rates along with the deficit that has gone to pay for the upper 1%'s low tax rates.

[bvar22]

13. OK

Bush* is STEALING your
Children's Money and
giving it to his RICH FRIENDS!

The trouble is that after the last few elections,
I am convinced that anything that won't fit on a bumper sticker
is lost on the majority of the American electorate.

Logic, eloquence, well constructed arguments, and depth are all a waste of time on today's electorate.

[w4rma]

14. Succinct

The GOP is STEALING your Children's money
(through intrest payments on the debt)
and giving it to his RICH FRIENDS!
(through tax cuts primarily for the ultra-wealthy)

[hatrack]

12. Great, so they'll only shoot the horse in three knees rather than all four

Yeah, no time like now (all time record federal deficits, trade deficits, current account deficits, federal debt) to boldly propose a mere $70 billion in tax cuts instead of the $100 billion proposed by ChimpCo.

How fucking courageous.

[LynnTheDem]

15. HEY HO HO! Social Security has to go! HEY HO HO! But tax cuts stay.

Even though the GAO says bush's privatization plan IS WORSE than doing nothing.

[Supersedeas]

16. Extend tax cuts for the RICH, Hammer the Middle-class: Who saw that coming