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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elpolvo who wrote (55314)	9/10/2004 4:09:23 PM
From: T L Comiskey	Respond to of 89467

Fiscal Conservatives Challenge Bush By Adam Entous WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites), who accuses his Democratic rival of keeping his budget plans secret, has yet to offer plans of his own for funding his campaign promises and cutting the deficit in half, fiscal conservatives said on Friday. Bush is campaigning for a second term promising to overhaul the Social Security (news - web sites) retirement system and the U.S. tax code. He is pushing for more spending on job training and for expanding health care tax credits. But Bush has yet to say how he will pay for it, even as he charges that his Democratic presidential rival, John Kerry (news - web sites), is hiding "details on how they would raise spending and lower the deficit" until after the Nov. 2 election. Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said the White House would release some details about Bush's plans "in the coming weeks," and he insisted the new proposals would "not significantly impact our ability to cut the deficit in half in five years" from this year's projected record of $445 billion. Bush aides estimated the cost of the president's new spending proposals at $74 billion over 10 years, but the figure excludes Social Security and tax code changes among others. An analysis by the Kerry campaign put the cost at closer to $4.1 trillion over 10 years, including Social Security reform, health care tax credits, Bush's space initiative as well as the war in Iraq (news - web sites), which Bush leaves out of his budget estimates. Kerry economic policy director Jason Furman said Bush would have to pay for his new programs by "borrowing money, which means we're all going to pay for it." Stanzel dismissed Kerry's estimates as "pure fiction." CONSERVATIVES SKEPTICAL But even fiscal conservatives, traditionally allied with the Republican White House, were skeptical of Bush's plans. "While it's true that Kerry hasn't provided a detailed plan, neither has the president," said Heritage Foundation budget analyst Brian Riedl. William Niskanen, chairman of the Cato Institute, said Bush's warnings about Kerry's spending plans were "inconsistent" with his own proposals. "There's no way to accomplish (Bush's) major new measures, including tax reform, without substantial increases in spending," Niskanen said. Stephen Moore of the Club for Growth, a group that raises money for conservative political candidates, said Bush was not being "very forthright" about his plans. He called Bush's fiscal record "abysmal," adding that under both Bush and Kerry "fiscal responsibility takes the back seat." This week congressional analysts warned the deficit will balloon to a cumulative $2.29 trillion over the next decade. Bush's most ambitious proposal -- adding personal retirement accounts to Social Security -- may be the most costly up front. The estimated cost of diverting some payroll taxes to these private accounts ranges from $1 trillion to $2 trillion over 10 years, analysts say. Bush's own economic advisers say tapping the bond markets to pay for private accounts could dramatically increase the federal debt for decades. But the Bush campaign says Bush has yet to settle on a plan to reform the retirement system or on a means to finance it. "The only cost that is certain is the cost of inaction," said White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan. Tax code changes are also a big unknown. Whether Bush seeks a flat tax or something less ambitious, White House officials insist any changes will be revenue neutral, meaning they will not undercut federal revenues. But Riedl said the White House would have to broaden the tax base "to make up any revenue that would be lost." That could mean raising taxes on some by closing tax loopholes. Moore said that would be "very difficult" given the clout of business interests. Democrats say Bush's tax credits for health care could cost $380 billion over 10 years. Fixing the alternative minimum tax before it affects growing numbers of middle-class Americans: $300 billion. Moon and Mars missions: another $250 billion.

To: elpolvo who wrote (55314)	9/10/2004 4:48:14 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Kerry needs to sharpen his message _____________________________ By MARIANNE MEANS SYNDICATED COLUMNIST Thursday, September 9, 2004 WASHINGTON -- As he recovers from open-heart surgery, former President Clinton can't campaign in person for Sen. John Kerry for a while, but he can still offer advice -- and thank goodness Kerry seems to be listening. Kerry needs all the help he can get, and the original Comeback Kid is a tiger when it comes to campaigning. Richard Nixon was fond of saying when the going gets tough, the tough get going. It's time for Kerry to get going, and Clinton may be the best asset he has. Kerry has a reputation for focusing in the final stage of a campaign, and this is it. In 2000,Vice President Al Gore was so embarrassed by Clinton's impeachment trial over a reckless illicit affair that he refused to allow Clinton a public role in his campaign. Gore lost the election in the Supreme Court all by himself, but Clinton's help might have made a difference when the switch of a single state could have tipped the narrow outcome. Four years later, Clinton has been mostly rehabilitated, Gore is toast and Kerry has no such political inhibitions. Clinton knows what to say, and how to say it. He speaks in simple sentences, although unlike President Bush he does not have a simple mind. Kerry doesn't have a simple mind, either, but his problem is that when he opens his mouth he speaks in compound sentences. There is too much "if this, then that" and "on the one hand; on the other hand." Instead of creating the impression of a complex thinker, which he is, Kerry comes across as indecisive, which he isn't. The Republican convention -- combined with a conveniently timed heightened terrorist alert level -- succeeded in scaring the country about potential attacks, ignoring the administration's dangerous policy mistakes in Iraq and painting Kerry as too weak to meet new global threats. This election should be a referendum on Bush's four years in office, not on Kerry's character and patriotism. The fighting in Baghdad on Tuesday was among the worst of the Iraqi occupation, raising the total of Americans killed to roughly 1,000 since the invasion. Meanwhile, the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that the federal deficit this fiscal year would be $422 billion -- the biggest shortfall ever -- in part to pay for the war in Iraq. Yet three national polls taken after the GOP convention show Bush ahead of Kerry. Bush also scores higher marks on the question of who best can lead the war against terrorism. The polls can, and probably will, change before Election Day. But as a campaign starting line, they are not good for Kerry. The debates could provide a turning point, yet they are still weeks away. A flattering article about the Bush family appears this week in People magazine, but it will be sharply countered by a cutting new blockbuster biography from Kitty Kelley, "The Family," in mid-September. Kerry has a powerful political case to make. But until now he hasn't been making it. He has left even his friends confused about his wandering messages. Before his operation, Clinton reportedly urged Kerry to stress that Bush is leading the country in the wrong direction -- failing to create new jobs or fund education reforms or tighten homeland security or address health care costs. Kerry desperately needs to get the focus off his military record in Vietnam and back on to today's issues. On Labor Day, Kerry began a new theme that suggested he was following Clinton's advice. He said "W" stands for wrong-headed. "Iraq is the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." He extended the logic to economic issues. "The choice in this race is very simple," he said. "Do you want to continue to move in the wrong direction, or turn it around and move the USA in the right direction and put people back to work?" That's more like it. Polls show voters don't think Bush is taking us in the right direction, even though they approve of his leadership generally. Kerry also added some prominent Clinton advisers to his payroll, the better to keep communications open with the former president. Although Clinton is expected to fully recover, it takes roughly six weeks for an open-heart patient to rebuild his strength. It might be dangerous for Clinton to be exposed to surging public crowds but he might be able to do some backstage campaign videotapes. In any case, he can always send e-mails and talk on the telephone. Kerry has been drawing large crowds, as has Bush. The president exulted recently over the size of his audiences, claiming it as a sign he would win. But nearly a half-decade ago, John F. Kennedy had a better take on that. "Crowds don't matter," he said, "unless they aren't there." ________________________________ Marianne Means is a Washington, D.C., columnist with Hearst Newspapers. Copyright 2004 Hearst Newspapers. She can be reached at 202-263-6400 or means@hearstdc.com. seattlepi.nwsource.com