Wrong again. Take note that GW Bush is not a millionaire while Kerry/Heinz are raking in so much that journalists cannot ascertain their exact worth--most reports place their fortune somewhere between $400 million to $800M. Pres Bush's income corresponds much more closely with average American voter's income than does bizillionaire John Kerry's vast fortune. Here are the tax cut facts:
Bush: Tax Cuts Boosting Economic Growth Thursday, 15-Apr-2004 11:20AM PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- As millions of Americans filed their tax returns Thursday, President Bush told hundreds of Midwesterners that his tax cuts are boosting economic growth.
"Tax relief we passed is helping to drive the economy forward ... just at the right time" following recession and the Sept. 11 attacks, said Bush, headlining a two-day symposium on rural America. He said the economy lost 1 million jobs in just three months after Sept. 11.
This year is "a little better" because of his administration's tax cuts, the president said, and credited them with helping to create 308,000 jobs last month and 750,000 jobs since August.
Bush said the American people expect the government to keep the taxpayers' burden as low as possible and "I take that responsibility seriously."
Before Bush spoke, the White House issued a "fact sheet" stating that 109 million American taxpayers will see their taxes decline this year by an average of $1,544.
Sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, the symposium was led by Sen. Charles Grassley, head of Bush's re-election campaign in the state, and Sen. Tom Harkin, a Democrat whom Bush helped try to oust in 2002.
Though Iowa carries only seven electoral votes, Bush and Kerry are battling hard for the state. Both men and their aligned interest groups are airing TV ads there. Bush lost the state in 2000 by fewer than 5,000 votes.
Bush and his wife, Laura, paid $227,490 in federal income taxes last year-- or about 28 percent of their adjusted gross income of $822,126. In 2002, about 31 percent of their adjusted gross income of $856,056 went to federal taxes. |
