Monday, January 05, 2004

Clark is calling Karl Rove out

He dares you. He double-dog dares you.

This plan is fair. This plan is just. This plan won't increase the deficit.

So if Karl Rove is watching today, Karl, I want you to hear this loud and clear - I'm going to provide tax cuts to ease the burden for 34 million American families and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty by raising the taxes on one-tenth of one percent of families in America, those who make more than a million dollars a year. You don't have to read my lips, I'm saying it.* And if that makes me an "old style" Democrat, then, I accept that label with pride and dare you to come after me for it. Because what I am talking about today is in the best tradition of Wilson and Roosevelt; of JFK, LBJ, and Bill Clinton - and it is in the best interest of the United States of America!

But let's also be clear: this is not old style "tax and spend." 99.9 percent of Americans will not have to pay this extra rate. And it can only be used toward tax relief for America's working and hard-pressed families. Not a penny will go to increase government spending.

And families making $50,000 a year will still be paying payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, and sales and property taxes to help fund their neighborhood schools and police departments.


If Dems want a fighter, here he is. If Dems think he isn't one of them, think again.

Repugs convinced most Americans Bill Clinton raised their taxes. He didn't. Clark knows what he is up against. The plan needs to be simple, and the most basic facts need to be repeated often so that the truth seeps into the public mind between stories of Britney's marriages, Michael's eccentricities, celebrity criminals, and alleged criminals turned into celebrities by virtue of their alleged wrongdoing. Simplifying filing was a stroke of brilliance.

Dean's plan: reinstitute Clinton's tax plan. Makes sense on some levels, but it is not bold, not original and does raise taxes from current levels on the same working class folks Clark reduces taxes on. It also won't happen. Clinton barely passed it with a Democratic congress. Clark has framed the debate on taxes for the Dem primary and the general election. If Karl Rove doesn't like it he can meet Wes after school and get the shit kicked out of him.

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