by Mark Silva
"These are tough economic times,'' President Bush said today, on the eve of Tax Day.
"Our fellow citizens will be paying taxes during a time of economic uncertainty,'' Bush said at a meeting of his Cabinet in the White House.
"This administration anticipated these times,'' Bush maintains -- noting that more than tax returns will be in the mail this year. The government also will disburse more than $100 billion in tax rebates to more than 130 million households.
"We worked with Congress to pass a pro-growth package that incensed businesses to invest; a pro-growth package that will be sending some of your taxpayers' money back to you,'' Bush said in a public statement at the meeting. "That's going to be an important part of making sure this economy begins to recover in a way that will add confidence and hope.''
The White House doesn't have much confidence, however, in its ability to enact the Colombia Free Trade Agreement which has fallen hostage to the presidential camapign under way. Democratic leaders have derailed a timeframe for the agreement's passage.
"There's big disappointment around this table about the action the speaker took on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement,'' Bush said. "This free trade agreement is good for American workers and it's good for American consumers. And this free trade agreement is in our national interests. Yet that bill is dead unless the speaker schedules a definite vote.''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) maintains that House leaders simply have placed the agreement on a time schedule that will enable proper debate rather than fast-track approval.
Bush also is calling on Congress to make his tax cuts permanent, for a longer-term guarantee of renewed economic prosperity.
To which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) responds today: “President Bush’s ideological approach to the economy simply has not and will not work. And his call for more tax breaks for multimillionaires and special interests demonstrates that he is completely out of touch with working Americans struggling to make ends meet.... Middle-class families are looking for real solutions – not the same economic ideas that got us into this mess in the first place.''
(Bush at Cabinet today. AP Photo by Gerald Herbert)
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Comments
This from the man who 2 months ago said everything is peachy.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | April 14, 2008 11:16 AM
Smirk - "I got mine, he,he, Where's yours, boy"? - Smirk!
Someone needs more Prozac.
Posted by: Can O'Whoopass | April 14, 2008 11:36 AM
Our Incompetent -in-Chief has spoken! This is one of the very few times I ever believed him. Why, because he should know, he is is the One and only who put our nation in this deplorable shape. Unfortunately, it isn't going to get better, any time soon.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 14, 2008 11:56 AM
The Columbia trade agreement should be a no-brainer - Columbian exporters currently face less, and lower, tariffs than US manufacturers and producers trying to get their goods into Columbia. But this isn't about economic rationality, its about keeping your money train running from your protectionist lobby.
Neither Bush nor the Republicans nor the Democrats will do anything to stop spending the Federal revenue they extract (extort?) from American taxpayers. Anything that is done to slow down or, heaven forbid, reduce this stream of money is good for every American and for the economy. But it's bad for the pols in Washington and, since nobody pays attention . . .
Posted by: Greg James | April 14, 2008 12:00 PM
Hmmm, ALL Americans received lower tax rates under Bush, with the poorest getting the biggest percentage drops. Bush also got through relief from the marriage penalty tax, increased the child tax deduction AND got capital gains taxes lowered, which helps ALL Americans, especially WORKING Americans.
In the 1990s, the Democrats increased the gas tax and began taxing senior citizens on their Social Security payments, proving that in reality the Democrats want nothing more than to tax Americans -- poor and rich alike. Another example, the sales taxes in Illinois. Democrats voted to increase the sales taxes, which hurt the poorest citizens the most and provide the Chicago area with the HIGHEST sales tax rates in the nation.
But the dumba--es that are the Loony Left will never understand that.
Why does the Left hate America and Americans so much??
Posted by: John D | April 14, 2008 12:39 PM
John D.....you are either mistaken or out and out a liar.
Look at the percentage the wealthy 1% recieved in the final years vs the pitance the poor recieved in the early years. You are another one who needs to know your dividing the country in half won't stand.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | April 14, 2008 1:21 PM
Tough economic times
because of you, dude.
Posted by: Grandblvd03 | April 14, 2008 1:44 PM
"BUSH SPEAKS"
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY!
I KNOW YOU'RE BROKE, I KNOW YOU LOST YOUR HOME. I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE YOUR MORTGAGE RIGHTS WENT. "STIMULUS IS ON THE WAY"
NO MORE DOT.COM FOR YOU. GO SHOPPING! GO TO YOUR MALLS, GO TO YOUR GAS PUMPS ACROSS AMERICA. BUY,BUY BUY!
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY.
WE CANLOOK BACK ON THE 82 BILLION IN 2001, WELL IT JUST WASN'T MANAGED PROPERLY, "IT WAS HARD WORK" IRAQ WAS A "WORK IN PROGRESS"
"MISSION ACCOMPLISH"
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY!
78.5 BILLION EMERGENCY SPENDING BILL FOR THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGANISTAN, WAS EVEN HARDER WORK, IRAQ WAS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS"
225 MILLION TO HALLIBURTON TO BUILD "DETAINEE CAMPS" IN FLORIDA, NO BID CONTRACTS WERE NEEDED TO SECURE THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF ALL DETAINEES.
9 BILLION DOLLARS LOST, UNACCOUNTABLE BY THE SECRETARY OF TREASURY. WELL THAT IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION AND WE DON'T COMMENT ON ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS.
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY.
KATRINA, "MEDICARE-MEDICAID" "FRISK CARE"
CASINO CARE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARE, MORTGAGE CARE, PRIVATE EQUITY CARE,
PRIVATE FUNDING CARE,
JUST NO QWEST CARE!
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY.
578 BILLION DOLLARS, 5 YEARS LATER, NOT BEING ABLE TO "SECURE BORDERS" 3.2 TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT, AND A DOLLAR THAT ISN'T DOLLAR. 4100 MEN AND WOMEN DECEASED IN A "WAR ON TERROR" AND NO "EXIT STRATEGY" WHAT-SO-EVER AFTER 12 GENERALS ON THE GROUND, FOUR (4) ADMIRALS AND 160,000 TROOPS, 140,000 MILITIA TROOPS, 120,000 CIVILLIAN CONTRACTORS AND WATER NOT CONSUMABLE FOR MANKIND OR WOMANKIND ALIKE.
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY!
"NO NATIONAL GUARD"
"NO ARMY"
"NO DIPLOMACY ON THE GROUND" JUST "SHIMKUS"
GOP CHEERLEADING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR!
THAT WOMAN, THIS WOMAN, THOSE WOMEN!
MONDAY-MONDAY, MONDAY!
JUST DON'T THINK, JUST DON'T REMEMBER, JUST DON'T BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A "CULTURE OF THE VISUAL" KARL ROVE SAID!
THE ECONOMY IS IN A RECESSION AND IF CONGRESS DOESN'T GET SERIOUS AND "PROTECT THE COMPANIES THAT PROTECTED ME" THEN I JUST DON'T SEE A BRIGHTER ECONOMY IN THE MONTHS TO COME.
AMERICA JUST SIMPLY IS WILLING TO "CHOOSE TO LOSE"
"THE STAKES ARE HIGH"
LONG LIVE NANCY PELOSI!
Posted by: Roger Morris | April 14, 2008 1:45 PM
Bush is a fear monger who should just keep his mouth shut until he bombs Iran.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to2hIhXrRTk&feature=related
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 14, 2008 1:56 PM
But the dumba--es that are the Loony Left will never understand that.
Why does the Left hate America and Americans so much??
Posted by: John D | April 14, 2008 12:39 PM
John D is back with a vengence today. Why do you hate America John??? Why do you support our corrupt president???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whhbPVrb5KM&feature=related
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 14, 2008 2:11 PM
1993 - Democrat reverses Republican economic policies and within 3 years we have the greatest economy in our history.
2001 - Republican reverses 1993 economic policies back to Republican policies and we are where we are now.
It's not hard to figure this stuff out.
Posted by: Paul | April 14, 2008 2:29 PM
Peachy take on the Bush recession from the guy who works for Cygnus, who for the past year has laid off employees, cut salaries and forced everyone to work a 37 hour work week.
Who are the dumba--es?
Posted by: John D's Mandatory 37 Hour Work Week | April 14, 2008 2:41 PM
Hmmm, a disgruntled Cygnus employee??
Peachy take on the Bush recession from the guy who works for Cygnus, who for the past year has laid off employees, cut salaries and forced everyone to work a 37 hour work week.
Who are the dumba--es?
Posted by: John D's Mandatory 37 Hour Work Week | April 14, 2008 2:41 PM
Sorry, but I do not run the company. I do not make decisions. But you're also living in the past and wrong. Only hourly workers were cut to 37 hours a week and that ended in 2007.
Now, no one liked their pay being cut, who does? But it has been restored.
Nice that you keep touch with my world though, Mr 37 Hour Work Week. I'm so touched!!
Posted by: John D | April 14, 2008 2:50 PM
Why does Columbia need a treaty to lower their tariffs?
Posted by: whatnow | April 14, 2008 4:28 PM
Bush has caused the "tough economic times". Under penalty of law I must file an accurate IRS form, and payment. Bush, however, irresponsibly throws unaccounted taxpayer brillions--up to trillions in time--(and 150,000 "lost" rifles) at his Big Lie in Iraq that has caused the recession. Support our troops. Send Bush and Cheney to Iraq with the same protection that they gave initial troops--and with the same exit strategy now in place. Bring the rest of the troops home--not in body bags--but alive. Petraeus and Crocker are Cheney/Bush disposable wipes.
Posted by: Vivian | April 14, 2008 5:15 PM
I thought Fool and the Gang fixed the economy. (?)
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Deficits don't matter, right? They support a strong $ while driving it down, right? They promote free market ideology while bailing out Wall St., right? GWB supports a balanced budget while paying a $150 billion bribe and tax cuts going in to a two front war, right? They say they fight inflation while fanning inflation, right?
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In the near future a clueless 1/2 of America will be sitting among the ruins of their nation, shaking their heads and wondering what has happened. They will need to look in the mirror.
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They will need to figure out that going to 'Disneyland' and buying a new Hummer won't fix the problem.
Posted by: C.Morris | April 14, 2008 8:11 PM
I see Crazy John D'Mime is still selling the average guy a muffler while awarding the rich a new Lexus.
Tom D. was right.
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Stick to HVAC. Leave the deep thinking to others.
Posted by: C.Morris | April 14, 2008 8:24 PM
Okay, Johnny!! I'll cover your mortgage for you one last time.
Posted by: JohnD's401K | April 14, 2008 8:53 PM
Captain Obvious has spoken!
Posted by: lochnessmonster | April 15, 2008 6:59 AM