What is Kerry's position on the Bush tax cut?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Does he want to keep it, or repeal it, or just repeal part of it?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. Kerry would only repeal part of the tax cut - the Republican part

John Kerry said, "If I am President, I will rollback the Bush tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans so we can invest in education, health care, and the skills of our workers. But I want to give the middle class a tax cut, not a tax increase. Too many middle class people are getting pummeled everywhere they turn - more bills to pay, a higher cost of living. And for all of this President's talk about tax cuts, middle class families have seen their share of the tax burden go up, not down. Some in my party want to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class. This would hurt those who most deserve our help. After they've had to deal with George Bush, the last thing middle class people deserve is a President making it even harder for them to make ends meet. I'm for a tax cut for the middle class."
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0909b.html

(1) PROTECTING MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS TO HELP CHILDREN

Keep the Full Child Tax Credit: Raising children costs a lot these days and many working families are struggling to make ends meet. The child tax credit provides benefits to 521,000 Maryland households and John Kerry believes we should keep it that way. He fought for this provision in the 2001 tax cut and worked to make the credit partially refundable. Kerry supported a further expansion of the child tax credit that could have provided benefits to an additional 114,000 children in Maryland, but the proposal was cut out by Bush and the House Republicans in a midnight deal.

Don't Reinstate the Marriage Penalty: John Kerry will not repeal the accelerated reduction of the marriage penalty, which benefits 552,000 married couples in Maryland.

Accelerate the 10-Percent Bracket Expansion: John Kerry will not repeal the expansion of the 10-percent bracket. This expansion benefits 1,459,000 married couples and single tax filers in Maryland.

Expand the Dependent Care Tax Credit (DCTC): The DCTC assists families in meeting the costs of child and adult dependent care by allowing taxpayers to offset a portion of their employment-related child and dependent care expenses. The new law increases the limits on qualifying expenses for determining the credit from the current $2,400 to $3,000 for one child or dependent and from $4,800 to $6,000 for two or more children or dependents. The new law increases the qualifying expenses from the current 30 percent of expenses to 35 percent. The credit will increase by up to $804 for families with two or more children or dependents ($402 for families with one child or dependent).

Improve the Earned Income Credit. The 2001 tax bill simplified EITC and made it more generous by excluding nontaxable employee compensation. It also eliminated a provision that reduced the earned income credit by the amount of an individual's alternative minimum tax. Finally, the bill made the Earned Income phase out rate more generous for married people. John Kerry believes we have more to do to make EITC better for working families - and that should not start with rolling back the progress we have made.


(2) HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
John Kerry has a proposal to expand health care coverage to every child and their parents. Maryland ranks 21st among states in percent of uninsured children. Nearly 140,000 children in Maryland are without health insurance.

(3) EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION
In Maryland, nearly two-thirds of children under age six have both parents in the labor force. And the average annual cost of child care for a four-year old in a child care center is $4,774. Students who reach the first grade without having had the opportunity to develop cognitive or language comprehension skills begin school at a disadvantage. Children who have not had the chance to develop social and emotional skills do not begin school ready to learn. As President, Kerry will work toward providing a healthy, safe, and supportive start for all children of pre-school age.
http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/09_08_03taxcuts.html

[Pez]

3. it's great how he ties so many things together...

...the tax policy he proposes not only helps with health care, education and the economy, but he also ties in seniors and veterans through various programs-- tax cuts and health care for example. he doesn't have tunnel-vision for one goal or program; his position is to benefit people across the board. his public service initiative is also another program that not only gives you money for school or whatever you choose, but also benefits the community. his approach to solving the problems we face ties so many aspects together; truly visionary.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. Kerry's been on the national stage

and he's learned how complex our problems are - and that complex problems sometimes can't be solved with simplistic answers.

[dsc]

18. Your title is factually inaccurate

Several of the things Kerry has decided to keep were Bush's ideas. Bush proposed the lowering of the bracket to 10%, the child tax credit increase, and the marriage penalty to name three. While I conceed Democrats agreed with these ideas they are still Bush's ideas.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

20. Bush always tries to take credit for our good ideas.

I know the Republicans like to try to take credit for every good thing we do, so no doubt there was a lot of media spin with that theory in it. What are you basing this on? Your memory?

I have no doubt that Bush went along with Democratic proposals in order to get his cut passed but to say that Bush originated the idea of the Earned Income Credit or was the prime mover in having it increased is just silly. Tax cuts on the rich - THAT is a Republican idea. Tax cuts targeted towards working people, towards lower-income parents - THAT is a Democratic idea. It's called progressive taxation.

[dsc]

22. His campaign

he campaigned on these things. As much as Bush does like to take credit for things he hasn't done in this case they were his ideas first. It is ludricrious to say he didn't want these things as he did. The Democrats did make the credits refundable which was very good and they did fight for getting the $300 checks to everyone which also was good.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

23. So you believe it because the Bush campaign said it?

You're kidding, right? :freak:

[dsc]

24. It is hard to argue

that things he advocated in the campaign, which he then fight to get passed, weren't his ideas. Again, I am not saying they were only his ideas but they surely were his ideas.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

25. OK if you want to give Bush the credit, you can.

I'm not gonna though. Bush as the champion of the middle-class? Sorry I can't sell that one to myself let alone anyone else. Just because Bush lies about what he believes and who is helping in his campaign doesn't mean I have to repeat those lies.

[Pez]

2. ties it in heavily with education as well

all snippets from linkydink

<snip>

John Kerry said, “Middle class families are taking too many hits already – their health care costs are rising, housing payments are higher, their jobs less secure, and college is costing more and more. The last thing these students’ families need is a tax increase.

“Unfortunately, some in my party want to repeal the tax cuts Democrats gave middle class families. This is wrong, and my plan will provide tax credits that keep college within reach for all students. We need to offer these students and their families our support—and that starts with a quality education.”

<snap>

Believes Middle Class Needs More Tax Cuts – Not Tax Increases

Today, John Kerry pledged to help struggling families by protecting middle-class tax cuts and proposing a new tax credit to help middle-class families pay for all four years of college.

As President, Kerry has pledged to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans but he believes that we should keep the middle class tax cuts that Democrats fought for in 2001 and 2003. He strongly disagrees with Democrats who want to repeal these tax cuts, which would cost many middle-class families with two children nearly $2,000.

The pressure on middle-class families is mounting. Today’s two-income family earns 75 percent more than its single-income counterpart a generation ago, but actually has less to spend due to soaring housing costs, day care, college tuition, and health care. The average middle-class family can no longer buy a home unless both parents work. This year more children will live through their parents’ bankruptcy than their parents’ divorce.

John Kerry’s priority is to relieve the burden on middle-class and low-income families. In addition to protecting current tax relief for the middle class, he will provide a new refundable tax credit to assure that four years of college is affordable for all.

<snippity>

A NEW TAX CREDIT TO MAKE FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AFFORDABLE

College Opportunity Tax Credit: Kerry’s “College Opportunity Tax Credit” will make four years of college affordable for all Americans. He will provide a credit for each and every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition – the typical tuition and fees for public college tuition. The credit will provide 100% of the first $1000 and 50% on the rest. It will also make this credit refundable so that it helps the most vulnerable students.

<snappity>

PROTECTING MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS

Middle class families can’t catch a break. They’re getting battered by high taxes, high health care costs, high energy bills, high college tuitions, and a high cost of living that means they are working harder just to stay in place. But some Democrats want to eliminate all tax breaks – including those that go to provide relief to the middle-class. Repealing the tax cuts for the middle class would hurt those who have borne the brunt of the Bush bust, making it even harder for them make ends meet. John Kerry has pledged to repeal George W. Bush’s special tax breaks that go to the wealthiest Americans.

Keep the Full Child Tax Credit: Raising children costs is expensive and many working families are struggling to make ends meet.

<snup>

Don’t Reinstate the Marriage Penalty: John Kerry will not repeal the reduction of the marriage penalty...

<snop>

Accelerate the 10-Percent Bracket Expansion: John Kerry will not repeal the expansion of the 10-percent bracket.



edited to add the <snaps>

[blm]

4. In some speeches he noted that Bush's campaign $$$ are kickbacks

from the tax cuts he gave the rich and corporations.

[Pez]

5. i wouldn't be surprised...

...bet it was over $300 too ;-p

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. Must we choose between expanding health care and a middle-class tax cut?

Howard Dean says yes. But John Kerry says we can do better. Because John Kerry has a health care plan that:

focuses on controlling health costs and allows Americans to buy into the same health care plan that the President and Members of Congress are in while providing subsidies for those who can't afford insurance. It is the only plan that has been proposed that holds down costs, while offering access to affordable coverage for every American and insisting that no longer will children in America have to go without health care.

The Kerry plan will cover nearly 27 million uninsured people. Taken all together the plan will result in nearly 96% of adults and nearly 99% of children having health insurance.
Download a PDF version of the plan

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. Kerry: Proposes Middle-Class Tax Cut To Make 4 Years of College Affordable

A middle-class tax cut? Has this ever propelled a Democrat into the White House before?

John Kerry said, “Middle class families are taking too many hits already – their health care costs are rising, housing payments are higher, their jobs less secure, and college is costing more and more. The last thing these students’ families need is a tax increase.

“Unfortunately, some in my party want to repeal the tax cuts Democrats gave middle class families. This is wrong, and my plan will provide tax credits that keep college within reach for all students. We need to offer these students and their families our support—and that starts with a quality education.”


A NEW TAX CREDIT TO MAKE FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AFFORDABLE

Americans Must be Able to Afford Four Years of College. To be successful in the 21st Century economy, America’s workforce must be more innovative and productive than our competitors. More and more, four years of college is a necessity for Americans in order to meet the challenges of the global economy. John Kerry wants to make four years of college as universal as a high school education is today.

College is Becoming More Expensive. Because of George Bush’s mismanagement, states are raising taxes, cutting education, and raising college tuition as much as 40 percent – causing layoffs and undermining economic growth.

· South Carolina’s colleges and universities have raised tuition and fees between 15 and 22 percent due to budget cuts

· Almost 1,000 teaching positions have been slashed statewide. During the last three years, lawmakers have lopped $418 million from the Education Department’s budget.

· Students in South Carolina need help. In addition to increased investment in important programs that help people afford college, like Pell Grants and GEAR Up, John Kerry has proposed a bold new tax credit that will help students to afford college for four years.

College Opportunity Tax Credit: Kerry’s “College Opportunity Tax Credit” will make four years of college affordable for all Americans. He will provide a credit for each and every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition – the typical tuition and fees for public college tuition. The credit will provide 100% of the first $1000 and 50% on the rest. It will also make this credit refundable so that it helps the most vulnerable students.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0912.html

[MrPeepers]

8. This is really great.

Kerry really understands the plight of the middle class.

peepers

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. He does. Let's hope the voters recognize that fact

and that he understands them better and for longer than any of the candidates.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. John Kerry’s Plan to Fight for Our Economic Future

(1) STEPS TO JUMPSTART JOB GROWTH TODAY
John Kerry would use the money from the first year of repealing Bush’s tax cuts for the top one percent of Americans on a short-term plan to jumpstart job creation with:

* A New ‘State Tax Relief and Education Fund’. The Bush economic approach has left states with nearly $90 billion in budget deficits, forcing lay offs, education cuts, and tax increases. This fund will help states struggling to bridge deficits resulting from Bush’s economic policies with an additional $25 billion a year for two years to stop the education cuts, tuition increases and tax and fee raising that are inhibiting our economic growth and causing layoffs. This fund includes Kerry’s proposed $5 billion to stop state cuts in health care that hurt workers and patients, $5 billion for homeland security to stem layoffs of police officers and fire fighters, and his commitment to fully fund the No Child Left Behind education law.
* Tax Breaks to Expand Manufacturing Jobs in the U.S. Over 2.7 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since President Bush took office. John Kerry will save jobs by ending the unpatriotic practice of U.S. corporations moving offshore simply to avoid paying their fair share of our nation’s tax burden. To create new manufacturing jobs Kerry will:
o Get the Crane-Rangel-Hollings legislation enacted, which provides a corporate rate reduction to manufacturers who produce goods in the United States;
o Propose a new jobs tax credit to encourage manufacturing companies to stay and expand in America. When a manufacturing company creates jobs above their 12 month average, the payroll taxes of the new employees will be refunded for two years.
o Immediately restore and double funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership that President Bush slashed by 80%.
* Job Creation Summits. Ours is a large and complex economy and John Kerry believes that we must understand the challenges to economic prosperity in each sector. He will hold economic policy summits once a week for the first six months of his Presidency to develop targeted strategies to create jobs in key regions and key industries.

(2) USING AMERICAN INGENUITY TO CREATE A STRONG ECONOMIC FUTURE. We must fight for our economic security not only by stimulating job growth today but also by ensuring that our research, our technology investment, and our spirit for innovation are paving the way for high wage jobs in new industries.

* Make Trade Work for America. The Bush Administration has neglected to enforce trade laws or respond to the unfair practices of some of our nation's largest trading partners. As President, John Kerry will: order an immediate 120 day top to bottom review of all trade agreements to ensure that foreign nations fully comply with trade agreements they sign with our country; vigorously enforce our trade laws to ensure our workers are not victims of unfair trading practices; insist future trade agreements incorporate within them core labor standards and environmental protections; demand that other countries, such as China, do not manipulate their currencies to gain unfair trade advantages; and help any workers displaced by trade develop new skills and find new jobs.
* Control Rising Health Care Costs so Our Industries Can Compete. Businesses cannot compete if they are weighed down by health care costs, especially since the health care costs of our industrial competitors are often subsidized by government. It costs U.S. automakers $1,000 per car just to cover health care costs for employees. John Kerry’s plan controls rising health care costs by helping pay for catastrophic care cases.
* Revitalize the High Technology Sector to Pave the Way for Industries of the Future. Kerry will fight to connect every American family to the Internet, encourage a renewed educational focus on science and math, bring the best practices of operational efficiency from the private sector to the public sector, and restore the government's commitment to scientific achievement through increases in research funding for the Department of Energy, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Kerry will also strongly support programs targeted at the next generation of innovation, such as nanotechnology and biotechnology research.
* New Manufacturing Jobs by Investing in America's Energy Independence. The recent massive blackout leaves no question that our foreign oil dependence and obsolete electricity system undermine our economy. Kerry will create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, many of them in manufacturing, by investing in the new energy opportunities of the future such as: producing 20 percent of all our electricity from renewable sources by 2020; giving tax credits to manufacturers to develop the next generation of automobiles; new energy efficient appliances for homes and businesses; and investing in projects like building the Alaska National Pipeline.

(3) MAKING FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AFFORDABLE. To be successful in the 21st Century economy, America’s workforce must be more innovative and productive than our competitors. That means better science and math in our schools and job training opportunities. But it also means giving every American the opportunity of four years of college.

* Create a New “College Opportunity Tax Credit”. Kerry’s “College Opportunity Tax Credit” will make four years of college affordable for all Americans. He will provide a credit for each and every year of college on the first $4,000 paid in tuition – the typical tuition and fees for public college tuition. The credit will provide 100% of the first $1000 and 50% on the rest. It will also make this credit refundable for those who receive other credits.
* Pay College Tuition for Students That Give Two Years of Service to America. Kerry’s ‘Service for College’ plan will provide the cost of four years at a public college to young people in exchange for serving their communities and country in national service.

(4) PROVIDE TAX RELIEF TO MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES RATHER AND CRACK DOWN ON UNFAIR RELIEF FOR CORPORATE AMERICA. President Bush has turned a blind eye to struggling American families, despite the fact that today’s two-earner families are earning 75 percent more than their single earner family counterparts a generation ago, but they have less money to spend due to soaring housing costs, day care, college tuition, and health care. John Kerry would:

* Keep the Middle Class Tax Cuts to Help Families Make Ends Meet. John Kerry believes that we should keep the middle class tax cuts that Democrats fought for in 2001 and 2003, which increased the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty and lowered tax rates. He strongly disagrees with Democrats who want to repeal these tax cuts, which would cost a typical middle-class family with two children an additional $2000.
* Help Americans Get Ahead.
o College Tax Cut: John Kerry will help Americans get ahead with his new “College Opportunity Tax Credit” by ensuring college is available for four years for every American.
o Helping Create Wealth in the Stock Market: John Kerry opposes the dividend tax cuts in the 2003 tax bill that result in receptionists paying higher tax rates than CEOs. However, he does believe that middle class Americans should get more from their investments and will lower capital gains and dividend taxes for the middle class.

Making Corporate America Live By America’s Values. Our economy does well when our workers are doing well. Today, Americans who are working hard and playing by the rules are faced with higher health care costs, higher state taxes, higher college tuition and limited job opportunities. At the same time, many corporations are bending the rules and shirking their fair share of the burden - and the Bush Administration is rewarding those who break the rules with lucrative government contracts. Kerry will fight for a government that rewards those who work hard and play by the rules and challenges those who don’t.

* Restore Investor Confidence With Strong Enforcement by the Securities and Exchange Commission: John Kerry will fund strong budgets and assure strong enforcement by the SEC.
* Stop Corporations From Keeping Bank Accounts in Countries like Bermuda to Avoid Paying Taxes. John Kerry believes that American companies should not be allowed to set up virtual headquarters in foreign countries that are hardly more than mailboxes just to avoid paying U.S. taxes.
* Assure Corporations Account for Disparities on the Books. A recent Joint Committee on Taxation report found that Enron claimed a $2.3 billion in profit between 1996 and 1999 in reports to its investors, while reporting a $3 billion tax loss to the IRS. John Kerry believes corporations should have to account these kinds of disparities.
* Stop Giving Government Contracts to Corporations Breaking the Rules. The Federal government should not give lucrative contracts to companies that have a record of accounting fraud – like WorldCom – or are moving offshore.
* End Unfair Protections for CEOs. Executives should not be walking away with millions of dollars in salaries and benefits while their workers are laid off their companies are defaulting on loans. Kerry would tighten the laws that allow corporations to take advantage of tax deductions for performance based executive pay – even when executives do nothing to improve productivity.
* Protect Worker Rights. Kerry believes that ensuring there is a fair playing field for workers is important to a strong economy. He supports increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation; improving workplace health and safety; assuring fair overtime rules; and worker’s right to join a union.

(5) RESTORE FISCAL DISCIPLINE: By borrowing from future generations to give tax relief to those who need help the least, George W. Bush’s economic policies have, for the first time in history, forced the federal government to spend $1 billion more EACH DAY than it takes in. President Bush’s exploding deficits are destroying the solvency of Social Security and Medicare and he has placed the enormous burden of saving these programs on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren. John Kerry believes that we need a smaller and smarter government that wastes less money. John Kerry’s plan will:

Balance the Budget

* Cut the Deficit in Half: John Kerry is committed to balancing the budget. He has put forward a sensible plan that will at least cut the deficit in half in his first term, while investing in economic growth and investing in workers.
* A Balanced Budget Summit: The best way to get to a balanced budget is not in partisan bickering, but in bipartisan cooperation. As President, John Kerry will call a Balanced Budget Summit that will require all sides to work together to make at least temporary sacrifices -- even in their top priorities -- as part of a concerted effort to restore fiscal discipline and fight for our future.
* End Special Tax Breaks: To restore fiscal discipline and strengthen our economy, Kerry will repeal Bush’s special tax breaks for Americans who make more than $200,000.
* Cut Excesses in Government: One of the Bush Administrations well-kept secrets is that under his watch the size of government has actually gotten bigger – not smaller. John Kerry will reduce the size of the Federal government by: bringing spending down to the level of GDP it was under Clinton, requiring federal agencies to submit annual plans to reduce energy costs by 20 percent by 2020; cut the Federal government’s administrative costs by five percent; cut the number of political appointees and ban providing bonuses for political appointees; cut fraud and abuse in government programs – fraud and abuse is estimated to cost $12 billion in Medicare alone and end rules that prevent the Federal government from having the same purchasing authority as the private sector.

Reign in Out of Control Spending

* Restore Budget Rules to Stop Runaway Spending. John Kerry believes we need to reverse the new budget rules Republicans in Congress have established that make it easier to spend into deficits with fewer votes. He will also review and reassess all discretionary spending programs to determine their effectiveness and whether they should continue to be funded.
* Implement the McCain-Kerry Commission on Corporate Welfare. Powerful special interest groups make it hard to cut special tax loopholes and pork barrel spending projects. John Kerry supports a Commission that would recommend cuts and require Congress to vote on all recommendations, so no single special interest could fight for pet projects.
* Pass a Constitutional Line-Item Veto to Reduce Corporate Welfare and Excessive Spending. Under Kerry’s plan, the President would identify wasteful spending items in the budget and submit the list to Congress to vote on in an up-or-down fashion – saving billions of dollars.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0828.html

[dsc]

12. Amazing this thread has been up 20 hours and 39 minutes

and precisely zero, count them zero, snarky anti Kerry posts have been made. Not a single of the supposedly uniformly agressive, meanspirited, out of control, Dean supporters made even one such post on this thread. I wonder just how many Dean threads have been treated this way as of late.

[Pez]

13. interesting points regarding kerry's tax proposal.

oh wait.

[dsc]

14. actually I didn't want to make the negative point

about the first response that would be appropriate. Unlike many of you I think that it is reasonable to let you have a positive thread.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

15. I don't get it. You are pointing out your own bad behavior?

Odd.

[dsc]

16. My post isn't anti Kerry

But I was pointing out that you had given to you what you and several others refuse to give to others. I honestly can't remember the last positive thread on Dean which didn't get trashed. There are posts in here which are factually inaccurate which I didn't comment on. Nor did I post a bunch of pro Dean links. It would be nice if others behaved the same way.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. You call talking about Dean's record 'trashing' him - you're entitled

to your opinion. You are welcome to talk about Kerry's record in this thread. It's one thing to debate issues, dispute arguments, or point out inconsistencies. It's another thing altogether to accuse people of being 'factually inaccurate' without pointing out what those supposed inaccuracies are. So put up or shut up.

[dsc]

19. Reposting posts

which have been endlessly debated in seperate stand alone threads, and doing so in threads which have nothing whatsoever to do with those posts is indeed trashing. Or posting posts claiming that Republicans are helping Dean or a series of other such nonsense that is all reasonably called bashing.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

21. You've made clear

that you think the rules should favor Dean more. OK, we understand that you feel that way. Sorry.