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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Patricia Trinchero who wrote (3977)	2/25/2004 12:32:02 AM
From: ChinuSFO	Respond to of 81568

Kerry needs to step up on economy Democrats John Edwards and John Kerry, now launching a series of lightning visits to Georgia in preparation for the state's suddenly important March 2 primary, are trying to hone the language they will need to appeal to the deep economic discomfort settling in among voters, not just here but across this country. The potential power of that issue is enormous. In polls, Americans repeatedly cite the economy as the issue that is most important to them. It's also interesting to note that while news out of Iraq has had an impact on President Bush's popularity, his sharp decline in the polls has come at the same time as an equally sharp plummet in consumer confidence. That's not coincidence; it indicates just how much the outcome of this fall's crucial election depends on how voters perceive their economic future. So far, Kerry's message on the economy has been less refined and powerful than Edwards', and that's no surprise. During the first few months of the campaign, the Massachusetts senator had been forced to concentrate on defending his stance on the Iraq war against attacks from Howard Dean. Only over time did Kerry find the words and passion that he needed to explain his position, and once he did, Dean's fate was sealed. Meanwhile, Edwards worked all but unnoticed, quietly fine-tuning his economic theme of two emerging Americas, one affluent and confident, the other struggling and uncertain about the future. Like a trial attorney practicing his summation, he honed those lines that struck home and dropped those that fell flat, and now that the spotlight has finally come his way, his economic stump speech glistens like a well-polished jewel. Edwards also had the advantage of good timing. In a column in The Washington Post, Harold Meyerson pointed out that until now, a politician who dared to talk about two Americas would have been interpreted in largely racial terms, pitting white against black. "The clearest proof that 'outsourcing' has changed the political climate is that a candidate such as Edwards can talk about helping the poor to an audience of white workers who understand he could be talking about them," Meyerson wrote. The primary season is essentially spring training for politicians, forcing rookies to learn quickly and show their major league stuff or be sent back home to Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas or Vermont. It's getting late, and the final cuts will come soon. Kerry has handled Dean and Iraq; if he can now respond equally well to Edwards on Edwards' best issue, Kerry will emerge as the Democratic nominee and be well-prepared to challenge Bush in the fall. Because of its varied economy, Georgia is a good testing ground for the message. Much of metro Atlanta and the ports of Savannah and Brunswick have benefited from globalization, while rural and small-town Georgia is heavily reliant on agricultural subsidies for cotton and other crops now under attack by world trade organizations. Like other Southern states, Georgia is also losing jobs in textiles and other industries. Overall, the state's economy has been hit pretty hard, and while jobs are again being created, most are in the lower-paying service industry. Edwards has found a means to communicate to worried voters that he understands their concerns, even while avoiding specifics about how he would address them. In a way, he's convincing them that he shares their values, and that has a powerful appeal. As consultants will tell you, once voters are assured that a politician is genuinely concerned about their problems, they really don't care much about the specific policies he might pursue. Kerry hasn't found that magic yet. In dealing with questions about Iraq, he had a tendency to become so bogged down in talking about details and deadlines that it was difficult to see what his underlying principles were. That remains his problem on economic issues, and Edwards is forcing him to confront it. For that reason, Edwards' continued candidacy may prove invaluable to Kerry. Unless, of course, Edwards somehow wins. ajc.com

To: Patricia Trinchero who wrote (3977)	2/25/2004 9:34:02 AM
From: ChinuSFO	Respond to of 81568

Even the Republicans in Congress do not support Bush's actions. Happy reading. Budgetary common sense Add tax cuts to the list of differences President Bush is facing with the Republican-controlled Congress -- the size of the highway bill; his request for a virtual freeze on most government functions; and the amount he proposes to spend on defense and homeland security. The president wants his tax cuts made permanent. But Republican lawmakers, in a polite rebuff to Bush, are planning a much less ambitious tax agenda. Concerned about the deficit and political appearance, in all probability they will not even seek a legislatively doable 10-year extension of his tax cuts. Tax measures that sunset in 10 years need only a 51-vote majority in the Senate. The problem with the 10-year time frame is that it shows the deficit rising rapidly again, even in the unlikely event that Bush succeeds in halving it over the next five years. Congress will likely settle on a five-year budget, but that presents another problem. Tax cuts in that range can be filibustered in the Senate, which the Republicans would need an out-of-reach 60 votes to override. That means Republicans are unlikely to pick a fight over extending last year's cuts in capital gains and dividend income, now scheduled to lapse in 2008. The Republican leaders will likely content themselves with extending the expanded child tax credit, tax relief for married couples and the expanded 10 percent tax bracket, which are set to expire Dec. 31 and which the Democrats would find hard to oppose -- and shouldn't. That's a far cry from making $1.7 trillion in tax cuts permanent. After three years of huge tax cuts and huge spending increases, it would be no bad thing if Congress took a deep breath and took stock of how we went from a $127 billion surplus during Bush's first year in office to a projected deficit of $521 billion this year. In trying to sell the idea of making his tax cuts permanent last week, the president sounded philosophical about a likely setback. "The Congress giveth and the Congress taketh away," he said. Indeed it does. Publication Date: 02-25-2004 cincypost.com