On Bush's turf, Kerry derides `broken promises'

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Challenging President Bush on his home turf, John Kerry decried a "four-year trail of broken promises" that he said have left economic ruin and given free rein to corporate polluters. "George Bush is a walking contradiction and a walking barrel of broken promises," the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate said Saturday, speaking to several hundred supporters at a community college.

<snip>

Kerry casts his proposal in terms of using proceeds of a canceled tax break for the wealthy to pay for crucial education and health programs that have suffered under Bush's watch.

"The people I've met here in Texas and all across America aren't asking for much," Kerry said at a town-hall style meeting. "All they want is a government that honors their values and helps them build a better life."

Kerry sought to personalize his populist economic theme, listening to stories from local residents who said they've suffered because of deep cuts in programs Kerry argued have been battered under Bush's watch. The Massachusetts senator sought to underscore his message by pointing out economic pressures that have hit Texas with a loss of 84,000 jobs.

"Houston, we've got a problem," he said.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/06/politics1406EST0525.DTL

[TheFarseer]

1. Bush I

was nearly crucified for breaking his promise of no new taxes, even thought they were obviously necessary. If Bush II is held to the same standard, he's broken nearly all of his campaign promises.

[gristy]

2. I think Kerry is going to have to be careful here

Kerry casts his proposal in terms of using proceeds of a canceled tax break for the wealthy to pay for crucial education and health programs that have suffered under Bush's watch.

I know I am just as (actually, more) furious over Bush's credit-card method of paying for our gov't, including his wars, than I am over his cuts in gov't services (what has he cut?). You know what we are left with if Kerry takes the money he gets from a canceled tax break and uses it for "crucial education and health programs"? You end up with a country whose deficit is NOT reduced and a total debt that is growing exponentially. The further a country is in debt, the less a country can control its own destiny. Just ask Venezuela.

[sangha]

3. You've got the facts right

but it's going to be awfully hard for the Repukes to fashion that inot a politically useful attack without appearing to be arguing that it's better to invest in the rich than to invest in education and health care.