Here's a way to steal some of the Bushies' thunder...

The charge that JFK II (do y'all think it's okay to call John Forbes Kerry that?) or any other Democrat is going to "raise taxes" is, let's face it, one of the most likely claims the Bushies have to resonate with the voters. But we can steal a lot of that thunder from them by counter-charging that THEY are the ones who will raise taxes, and not only that, but that they already HAVE raised taxes quite a bit on poor and middle-class people with their insane tax "cuts" for the rich. I might have gotten a small income tax "cut" since Bush has been in power. I made $37,000 gross last year and that's about the same I have made for the past several years. I got my $300 rebate in September 2001 and since then, I can hardly tell that I've gotten a cut at all. Last year there was an adjustment in my withholding which resulted in about $19 more take-home pay monthly. But then my tax refund this year was about the same as it had been for the past several years, so apparently that $19 per month is about what my income tax "cut" is.

But that's just income taxes. My property taxes have gone UP. If I ever need access to various social services, their availability has been drastically CUT by the Bushies. Payroll taxes are MUCH bigger as a percentage of income for low and middle income wage earners like me than for upper income wage earners, because they're only assessed on the first $85,000 (I think) of income. I think gasoline taxes and sales taxes and lots of other kinds of taxes are going up, too (but not taxes on dividends and large estates, which only RICH people pay). Not to mention the long-term effects of these INSANE deficits. Help me with this, fellow DUers. I'm not a big facts-and-figures person. But I know that all of this taken together results in a de facto INCREASE in taxes on poor and middle class people.

And we now have a golden opportunity to steal the righties' thunder on this issue. Let's start getting these words, or something like them, out there into the collective public consciousness:

"REPEAL THE BUSH TAX INCREASES on the poor and middle class."

And this will turn the tables on the Bushies. One of their favorite tactics, and, I've gotta hand it to them, one of their most effective tactics, is to divert attention from their own misdeeds by pointing their fingers at Democrats and liberals and loudly and repeatedly charge that the Democrats and liberals are the ones who are doing what the righties themselves actually are doing. And then when the Dems and libs counter that the Repubs and righties are the ones who are in fact committing those misdeeds, it sounds hollow. But in this case, I believe it won't sound hollow.

So when we start making these words our mantra...

"REPEAL THE BUSH TAX INCREASES on the poor and middle class."

...and people start responding, "Huh? I thought Bush CUT taxes. Didn't he?" we can explain that if you count all the various kinds of taxes, not to mention the other aspects of economic security, the overall economic security of poor and middle income Americans has gone way DOWN in the past three-plus years.

Okay, everybody repeat after me:

"REPEAL THE BUSH TAX INCREASES on the poor and middle class."

"REPEAL THE BUSH TAX INCREASES on the poor and middle class."

"REPEAL THE BUSH TAX INCREASES on the poor and middle class."

I'm going to make a bumper sticker for my car with this slogan on it.

Ron

and I know Dean used the "Bush Tax" in his stump speeches.

I really think that all this worrying about taxes is unnecessary. Most people want the govenrment to provide good services, so Kerry just needs to focus on that. I think people will be willing to pay for quality healthcare for all.

ARE willing to pay their fair share. That's just the point. Not only are taxes regressive (especially when you factor in local sales, gas, property etc. taxes as a percentage of income) but there is this notion with GW* that we can shift the costs of today's government to our children.

When I go to the store, I can pay with cash or my ATM card (effectively paying now) or I can charge it on a credit card (postponing--with interest--the ultimate payment date.)

Reagan charged the VISA to the max and GW* went and got the credit limit extended!

A lot of this started with Reagan and his crazy vendetta against the Russians. He spent all that money on weapons, and it turned out that Russians weren't really a threat.

I agree that most people are willing to pay their fair share. My misguided (repuke) boyfriend always complains about how he pays so much in taxes. He does pay a lot, but he doesn't take into account all the stuff he gets back. He gets paid too much anyway. :)

My vehicle registration went up $6.00 last year and will go up again this year and my sales tax is now a whopping 9.5%.

I don't mind paying my fair share. They are my "dues" to use the services I need. Part of it even pays my salary.

.

...never talk about what those taxes go for. They just always want to whine about how some rich guy has to skip the heated seats on his BMW. They never talk about how it helps so some poor mother to put food on the table.