Dems aren't defining themselves on domestic issues

[ModerateMiddle]

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031017/5599034s.htm

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As Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer said over coffee Thursday morning, ''You would think that there would have been more distinctions drawn on health care. But there is unanimity among the candidates that there has to be a big push for universal or near-universal health care coverage. As a result, voters figure: 'Now that's over with, let's get on to other issues.' ''

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Instead, the focus was over whether to rescind all the Bush tax cuts (the position taken by Howard Dean and Richard Gephardt) or whether to preserve those tax reductions that benefit the middle class (John Kerry's and John Edwards' stance).

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Succinctly summarizing Wednesday's four-candidate scrum over tax rates is difficult. Dean expressed the essence of the rescind-everything-that-Bush-passed argument: ''I think most people would be very happy to pay the same taxes they paid when Bill Clinton was president, if they could have the same economy.'' The opposing case for preserving the middle-class tax cuts was made by Edwards: ''The last thing that we need to do is to put an additional burden on hard-working middle-class families by raising their taxes.''

In dollar terms, this is far from a minor political scrap. The liberal Washington-based Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that the federal government would take in an additional $2.5 trillion from 2005 to 2012 if all the Bush tax cuts were rolled back. The middle-class provisions (the child-care credit, the new 10% tax bracket and the elimination of the marriage penalty) account for about $686 billion of that total. So, in essence, the Democratic presidential candidates are squabbling over this $686 billion, or 27% of the overall Bush tax cuts.

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What the knotty tax issue illustrates is how difficult it is to sort out the Democrats based on domestic issues.

[papau]

1. The problem with All 9 taking Dem positions is what?

We should have some GOP-lite positions being tossed out by some of the 9?

:-)

I think I can follow the "small" differences amoung the 9 - and determine if that changes my vote.

:-)

[sandnsea]

2. Tax policy is critical in 2004

Much more important than differences in health care. I think Democrats finally get that and that's why this has become a bigger issue than health care. It's part politics and part economic sense. Is it better to keep middle class tax cuts, gradually reduce the deficit, and invest so the economy grows. Or repeal all the tax cuts, make more cuts and focus on balancing the budget. We've always run a deficit in times of war or serious economic downturn. Which plan has the right balance and will help the country the most. And which plan is likely to get the broadest support so a Democrat can be elected in order to enact it. I think the voters have the focus right.