Jeb: Liberals want a bad economy to foster a culture of dependency on government

Jeb Bush Channels Mitt Romney: Liberals Want To Sabotage The Economy To Foster Culture Of Dependency

Fresh off his promise to stop giving black voters “free stuff” in the form of government programs, GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush accused Democrats of sabotaging the American economy for political gain in a Monday television interview. “I think the left wants slow growth because that means people are more dependent upon government,” Bush told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo. “I reject that. I believe that people want to rise up, they want the tools to achieve earned success, and how we tax and regulate really matters.”

Bush’s allegation is the latest in a series of comments about public assistance programs that illustrate the candidate’s fealty to the economic ideas of men like former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), and right-wing talk show host Glenn Beck.

Bush’s tax proposals are the centerpiece of his growth plan. But the historical record is similarly unkind to the tax ideas he’s pushing. Bush wants to eliminate or reduce a variety individual taxes in ways designed to primarily benefit the well-off. His proposals would shield both investment income and inheritances, which are two major drivers of the wealth inequality that’s behind the ongoing decline in economic security for working-class families.

But even setting aside the question of inequality, there’s little reason to think another round of trickle-down tax cuts from a President Bush would spark the kind of broader lift-off in growth the former Florida governor wants. Lower top marginal tax rates are historically correlated with weaker economic growth, not stronger. Indeed, one of the few periods in U.S. history when economic growth actually cleared his 4 percent mark came when the top income tax rate was 90 percent.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/09/28/3706318/jeb-bush-economic-sabotage/

Project much, Jeb. Which party constantly acts to slow and harm the economy with austerity fiscal policies, government shutdowns and trickle down economics.