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Bush sees the rich skipping out on taxes

There were quite a few interesting gems in the president's Fox News interview over the weekend, but this one stood out for me:

WALLACE: How does [McCain] overcome all of that and...

BUSH: Because there's two big issues. One is, who's going to keep your taxes low? Most Americans feel overtaxed and I promise you the Democrat [sic] party is going to field a candidate who says I'm going to raise your tax.

If they're going to say, oh, we're only going to tax the rich people, but most people in America understand that the rich people hire good accountants and figure out how not to necessarily pay all the taxes and the middle class gets stuck.

We've had -- we've been through this drill before. We're only going to tax the rich and all you have to do is look at the history of that kind of language and see who gets stuck with the bill.

Does this make any sense at all? Wealthy people hire accountants, so the government should leave their tax rates alone?

As Isaac Chotiner put it, "The Democrats want to raise rates on the wealthiest Americans, but Bush is saying that in fact this will screw the middle class because the rich have ways to avoid paying taxes. The obvious question is, then, why has Bush spent so much time giving tax cuts to the rich?!?!"

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right wing hater's picture

Call it the 'reverse Robin Hood'... That's your Republican/GOP mantra....

Neo-Feudalism at its worst...

An Average Joe's picture

Confirmation of the Middle Class getting screwed. Wow, that's shocking!

Now I can get on with my life...have a good day...

El Cid's picture

Well, George Bush Jr. may be a super-manly warrior man willin' ta fight the terrists to the last man anywhere on tha Urf, but, hey, even Commander Guy Flightsuit can't take on rich people and their accountants.

A man's got ta know his limits, ya know.

JoshT's picture

"Most Americans feel overtaxed."

So President Bush believes that most Americans feel overtaxed by the government. Seeming he is this government, shouldn't he, kinda, do something about that. Is he arguing that McCain, to win, should say that Bush has overtaxed the population?

I do not understand that man.

MargeAggedon's picture

Sounds to me like he's saying "Well you can TRY to tax 'em but we've fixed it so any smart accountant can get them out of it anyway so even if the dems try to fix things we've already made it so any increase is automatically dumped on the middle classes. So fuck you dems! LOL! Next question."

The only thing shrub could do now to improve his numbers is have a fatal brain aneurysm on live tv.

right wing hater's picture

Oh...and all those wall street worshippers, free marketists, those that prey at the altar of the 'captains of industry'....and believe in Norquist & the 'mythical little man' BS....

How many of those people, didn't get to the top by 'their own merits', didn't enjoy the fruits of nepotism, lied/cheat/stealed to get there, buried a marching ban, etc, etc....

For all those who really started with nothing and built something big, there are 20 times that number that didn't and have done nothing but thrown themselves in with the feudal system of corporations, where board members elect a king to rule over there kingdom, the executives "nobles/lords" rule over the masses, the vassals the directors & managers, and finally...the worker bees....the serfs. What I find hysterical is that Libertarians always rail about 'If you don't like corporations, then start your own business'/yada/yada/yada....
The goal of corporations is too stifle all other competition, like a kingdom wants absolute conquest...so my answer is what happens when the keys to the kingdom are in hands of the few? What can someone do, when the corporation is the only game in town? They have no answer for that, except the occasional "Storm the Bastille" quip....

One of my best friends, a guy who was one of the first 100 people to get the CCIE certification who now is a freelancer...said it best (though

right wing hater's picture

One of my best friends, a guy who was one of the first 100 people to get the CCIE certification who now is a freelancer...said it best (though very un-PC) about corporations & society.... "Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians"

ysbaddaden's picture

No, some of the new money from taxing the rich should be used for auditing the rich.

Since Ray Gun IRS auditors have been so underfunded, that they don't go after the major absconders, but the ones in the middle-class who can't afford to defend themselves.

And if you outsource your hq to someplace like Dubai, you should be additionally taxed, the same thing for off-shore accounts, and unnecessarily down-sizing. Extra large bonuses to CEO's should fall under the gift tax.

And estate taxes can always be kept above a certain property level, so the lower ones don't have to pay.

the nth's picture

That's the ill-conceived argument of a drunk at a bar at three in the morning or a child who thinks they're saying what they heard one of their parents say.

ysbaddaden's picture

Oh yeah, public funding of elections can prevent the wealthy from buying off their own representative who write and/or enforce the tax laws.

Scott's picture

I am sorry, if the Democratic nominee doesn't use this video against McCain in the fall election they are certifiable.

Lynchcheney's picture

Yeah, do you think in the wake of the Bush tax cuts the wealthy all fired their accountants because they didn't need to find loopholes? I don't think so.

Scott's picture

First of all his statement is a lie as any sane person knows. The average person doesn't feel over taxed because they aren't. That is just BS Republicans throw around. The average person feels like they aren't making enough money due to stagnant wages. The rich ALWAYS feel like they are over taxed, but the thing is, they would feel that was true even if they only paid a 1% tax rate.

superchamp's picture

Take this as a dimwitted admission by Bush that the wealthy cheat on their taxes. So we should tax the middle class more, as they cannot hire the best accountants to help them cheat on theirs.

seele's picture

this is common. republicans are taking both sides of the issue more and more lately. the rich are cheating on their taxes so the way to punish them is to lower their taxes. typical republicanism.

Albatross's picture

So Bush is aware that a segment of the population routinely games the system and/or breaks the law and unethically if not illegally avoids paying taxes... and his solution is "What, me worry?" If he's so hip to the tax-dodging practices of the Rich, why doesn't he revise the laws to force them to pay their fair share, and actively pursue those who continue to welch the nation?

Oh yeah, right, because they're "his base."

Moron.

MargeAggedon's picture

Albatross @ 16:

So Bush is aware that a segment of the population routinely games the system and/or breaks the law and unethically if not illegally avoids paying taxes... and his solution is "What, me worry?" If he's so hip to the tax-dodging practices of the Rich, why doesn't he revise the laws to force them to pay their fair share, and actively pursue those who continue to welch the nation?

Oh yeah, right, because they're "his base."

Moron.

Because he learned about it at his daddy's knee. You think they didn't get big laughs at the shrub house about how little they actually pay on their taxes? When he talks about the rich cheating taxes he's speaking from personal experience. Which is also why he thinks it's so funny.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

I am flabbergasted. Wow. The leader of the government saying rich people have loopholes to get out of paying taxes. Hey, here's an idea leaderman. Why not close those loopholes? Oh wait, that would be wrong. The amazing thing is, I've had arguments with conservatives over the years, and it always goes back to the tired and true "the rich pay more taxes than anyone" routine. Yet here is their leader saying, no they don't cuz we let their accountants have loopholes. How ironic.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

George Bush is a member of that over privlidge party 'n he don' wan' pay no damned accountn't no five hunert dollers 'n 'our to cover up is ill gotten gains when if they ain't no taxes inner first place he don' hav' do nuthin'.

Marcus Aurelius's picture

The answer to all questions regarding Bush's thought processes must take into account that he is both a moron and an asshole.

Mugsy's picture

Anyone else remember Bush's bizarre reasoning on why raising taxes on "the rich" really raises taxes on the poor reminded me of these quotes from Bush on the 2004 campaign trail:

"That's why the rich got accountants.. to try and figure out how you can't tax them. In order to make sure he fulfills all his promises, guess whose gonna pay? You are!" (cheers & applause)
(translation: "the rich have people to help them avoid paying taxes, so that means we're sticking YOU with the bill!" (cheers & applause).
) - Bush in Reno, NV, 2004.

If the rich have accountants to get out of paying taxes, why do they need a tax cut? I thought someone on his staff would of pointed out the stupidity of this remark to him four years ago, but apparently not. He still thinks telling people that he's giving tax breaks to people that already have people that get them out of paying any taxes is a GOOD thing. I don't know who's dumber: Dubya or the people cheering.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

I just love it when Bush channels Deputy Dog, don't you?

Filthy Harry's picture

Classic republican strategy: Break the gov't then blame who tries to fix it.

Its this monkey's fault that taxes need to be raised!!

ConcernedCanuck's picture

Off topic, but for those who want to keep an eye on the superdelegates and who they are supporting, here is the link

http://sd-project.wikidot.com/

Mugsy's picture

Simple question for the morons cheering this: "If the rich have accountants to avoid paying taxes, why do they need a tax cut?"

xoites defends Constitution's picture

We tried making it illeagle for rich folks to kill people but they just hire expensive lawyers and get out of it any so why bother?

mparker's picture

THIS LIE IS A REPEAT !!!!!

Yes, the bastard is recycling an old one from the Presidential elections, don't ask me what year. I KNOW I've heard this one before.

TAXING THE RICH = TAXING THE POOR

Because the rich are just too good at cheating. So as President says it's in your best interest to remain poor and keep the rich SUPER RICH because any attempt to tax the them will TRICKLE DOWN all over your poor ass.

The thought of actually putting an end to said cheating remains a few elusive IQ points away from the Chimps grasp.

Filthy Harry's picture

Mugsy @ 24:

Simple question for the morons cheering this: "If the rich have accountants to avoid paying taxes, why do they need a tax cut?"

So the rich can save money by not having to pay their accountants as much. Plus, if taxes are high, the rich have to at least worry about taxes. By cutting them, the rich are free to go out and trickle down on the rest of us.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

Hmm...I posted this but it didn't show up

Link to superdelegates to see what candidate they support
http://sd-project.wikidot.com/

Chico's picture

Reason # 18,045,765,422 why Americans will reject the party represented by the imbecile in the White House in the November elections.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

If Bush were on fire i wouldn't trickle down on him.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

And they just keep right on doin' what they do best.

Official: U.S. to seek death penalty for 6 Gitmo detaineesStory Highlights
Government expected to announce charges, pursuit of death penalty Monday

A judge would have to approve the charges, death penalty

If approved, it will mark the first time a Guantanamo detainee has faced trial

Controversy surrounds detainees' due process, how detainees were interrogated

Filthy Harry's picture

ConcernedCanuck @ 30:

And they just keep right on doin' what they do best.

Official: U.S. to seek death penalty for 6 Gitmo detaineesStory Highlights
Government expected to announce charges, pursuit of death penalty Monday

A judge would have to approve the charges, death penalty

If approved, it will mark the first time a Guantanamo detainee has faced trial

Controversy surrounds detainees' due process, how detainees were interrogated

I wonder what rate they are taxed at?

Chico's picture

xoites defends Constitution @ 29:

If Bush were on fire i wouldn't trickle down on him.

I would, 'cause I can piss gasoline !

P.D.'s picture

Bush and his ilk won't be satified until Americans are waited in bread lines or living in ditches. The almighty dollar is his god. How people honestly believe this man is Christian is beyond me. Christian charity is nowhere in his dictionary. Now, the majority of Americans know what kind of man he is, but it is to late. We will feel the damage of this man for generations to come.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

Chico @ 32:

xoites defends Constitution @ 29:

If Bush were on fire i wouldn't trickle down on him.

I would, 'cause I can piss gasoline !

Wow, can you come over and live in my garage?

ConcernedCanuck's picture

Filthy Harry @ 31:

ConcernedCanuck @ 30:

And they just keep right on doin' what they do best.

Official: U.S. to seek death penalty for 6 Gitmo detaineesStory Highlights
Government expected to announce charges, pursuit of death penalty Monday

A judge would have to approve the charges, death penalty

If approved, it will mark the first time a Guantanamo detainee has faced trial

Controversy surrounds detainees' due process, how detainees were interrogated

I wonder what rate they are taxed at?

They'll be taxed at the death rate.

Filthy Harry's picture

ConcernedCanuck @ 35:

Filthy Harry @ 31:

ConcernedCanuck @ 30:

And they just keep right on doin' what they do best.

Official: U.S. to seek death penalty for 6 Gitmo detaineesStory Highlights
Government expected to announce charges, pursuit of death penalty Monday

A judge would have to approve the charges, death penalty

If approved, it will mark the first time a Guantanamo detainee has faced trial

Controversy surrounds detainees' due process, how detainees were interrogated

I wonder what rate they are taxed at?

They'll be taxed at the death rate.

I thought the repubs were against that?

ConcernedCanuck's picture

Here's something related to the rich. Found this very interesting:

Eighty-two of the 275 companies, almost a third of the total, paid zero or less in federal income taxes in at least one year from 2001 to 2003. In the years they paid no income tax, these companies earned $102 billion in pretax U.S. profits. But instead of paying $35.6 billion in income taxes as the statutory 35 percent corporate tax rate seems to require, these companies generated so many excess tax breaks that they received outright tax rebate checks from the U.S. Treasury, totaling $12.6 billion. These companies' "negative tax rates" meant that they made more after taxes than before taxes in those no-tax years.

MargeAggedon's picture

xoites defends Constitution @ 25:

We tried making it illeagle for rich folks to kill people but they just hire expensive lawyers and get out of it any so why bother?

The frightening thing is that is closer to the truth than we'd like to admit.

Moses's picture

Wealthy people hire accountants anyway. The tax law is too complex for them to spend the years learning all the ins and outs and accounting too mundane for them to be interested beyond "am I making money?"

MargeAggedon's picture

Chico @ 32:

xoites defends Constitution @ 29:

If Bush were on fire i wouldn't trickle down on him.

I would, 'cause I can piss gasoline !

If that were true you'd be locked in shrub's barn in texas.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

I need me some liberal fascism for a change, this conservative fascism is killing us.

dj's picture

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

Nick's picture

For all those who really started with nothing and built something big, there are 20 times that number that didn’t and have done nothing but thrown themselves in with the feudal system of corporations

Absolutely. The only thing that I might disagree with is the 20 to 1 ratio. It is probably higher.

I did my masters at a university frequently ranked with the Ivy League schools. I've seen the legacy system in action...it's sickening.

Anonymouse's picture

I find it fascinating that a party that looks so longingly back at the 1950s (as the Golden Age of America) so conveniently forget that the top marginal tax rate throughout that decade was around 90%.

I wonder whether Bush would say that murder, etc. should be legal, since we all know how easy it is for rich people to hire slick lawyers to get them off the hook.

uncle wally's picture

so, he really is an idiot. heh, I kind of figured.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

dj @ 42:

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

Great SNARK! LOL!

jack foster's picture

Just another moronic statement from the head Moron to his moron followers who make up his Moron Base. This moron is an embarrassment to people who really struggle to be Morons.
ie: The republican.

GrammyinPA's picture

Anything that comes out of bush's mouth never makes any sense. He is soooooooooo STUPID.

Could anyone tell me why ALL Republicans refer to the Democrats as the "Democrat Party". It is disrespectful; however many many commentators also use the same phrase.

Correction: it is the "DEMOCRATIC PARTY".

The first thing to come to my mind was that retort you hear from little kids. It takes one to know one.

He's one of those rich people who can pay people to protect his money from taxes so he knows how it works.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

dj @ 42:

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

??? Um.........k.........Arlington Group?? Is that like "religions of the world unite"?? Bush a good shephard? Hahahahahaha......does religion make it's followers uneducated? Or was this post a joke?

GrammyinPA @ 48:

Anything that comes out of bush's mouth never makes any sense. He is soooooooooo STUPID.

Could anyone tell me why ALL Republicans refer to the Democrats as the "Democrat Party". It is disrespectful; however many many commentators also use the same phrase.

Correction: it is the "DEMOCRATIC PARTY".

I've been noticing that too. Bush seems to make a strong effort to say it any chance he gets

rend's picture

"The Democrats want to raise rates on the wealthiest Americans," They will not and do not, lets recall they voted for this. They serve the same top 1%'ers. The extension of the 2001-2003 tax cuts in 2006 took place under a DEMOCRATIC Congress.

rend's picture

sorry a caving democratic congress

JohnnyThief's picture

You guys are missing the irony of the logic. So, we tax the rich, who can afford the taxes, but they can also hire accountants so they dodge the bullet. Who pays the bill? Us peasants.

Which means tax laws are being written with the rich holding the rest of us hostage: Class terrorism!

And he ADMITTED it!

We fight them there, so we won't have to fight them here,... here, we have to fight the rich terrorists,...

xoites defends Constitution's picture

ConcernedCanuck @ 50:

dj @ 42:

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

??? Um.........k.........Arlington Group?? Is that like "religions of the world unite"?? Bush a good shephard? Hahahahahaha......does religion make it's followers uneducated? Or was this post a joke?

From Wkipediea:

The Arlington Group is a coalition which unites the leaders of almost all of the most prominent Christian Right organizations in the United States.[citation needed] Founded in 2002 principally through the efforts of American Family Association President Donald Wildmon and Free Congress Foundation Chairman Paul Weyrich, the group seeks to establish consensus goals and strategy among its members and translate its combined constituency into an overwhelming force within the Republican Party, particularly at its highest levels. Its membership and purpose overlaps to a high degree with the Council for National Policy; but the group is much more narrowly focused, choosing to emphasize such issues as same-sex marriage, abortion, and confirmation of like-minded federal judges.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

Over the 2001-2003 period, the 275 Fortune 500 companies that were profitable each year and for which adequate information is publicly available earned almost $1.1 trillion in pretax profits in the United States. Had all of those profits been reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and taxed at the statutory 35 percent corporate tax rate, then the 275 companies would have paid $370 billion in income taxes over the three years. But instead, the companies reported only about half of their profits - $557 billion - to the IRS. Instead of a 35 percent tax rate, the companies as a group paid a three-year effective tax rate of only 18.4 percent.

In 2002 and 2003, the 275 companies sheltered more than half of their profits from tax. They told their shareholders they earned $739 billion in those two years, but they paid taxes on less than half of that, only $363 billion.

Loopholes and other tax subsidies cut taxes for the 275 companies by $43.4 billion in 2001, $60.8 billion in 2002 and $71.0 billion in 2003, for a total of $175.2 billion in tax breaks over the three years.

Half of the total tax-break dollars over the three years - $87.1 billion - went to just 25 companies, each with more than a billion-and-a-half dollars in tax breaks.

General Electric topped the list of corporate tax break recipients, with $9.5 billion in tax breaks over the three years.

Wow!!! And yet the US finds itself in a recession, even after corporate welfare like this. So the question is, why can't US firms compete globally if they make these kinds of profits and receive this much corporate welfare? How can you be in a recession when the economic situation is so damn favourable to corporations? It can't get any better than this for them anywhere.

ConcernedCanuck's picture

xoites defends Constitution @ 55:

ConcernedCanuck @ 50:

dj @ 42:

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

??? Um.........k.........Arlington Group?? Is that like "religions of the world unite"?? Bush a good shephard? Hahahahahaha......does religion make it's followers uneducated? Or was this post a joke?

From Wkipediea:

The Arlington Group is a coalition which unites the leaders of almost all of the most prominent Christian Right organizations in the United States.[citation needed] Founded in 2002 principally through the efforts of American Family Association President Donald Wildmon and Free Congress Foundation Chairman Paul Weyrich, the group seeks to establish consensus goals and strategy among its members and translate its combined constituency into an overwhelming force within the Republican Party, particularly at its highest levels. Its membership and purpose overlaps to a high degree with the Council for National Policy; but the group is much more narrowly focused, choosing to emphasize such issues as same-sex marriage, abortion, and confirmation of like-minded federal judges.

LOL! K...me understand....not enough coffee yet.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

In other words instead of taxes we should voluntarily tithe to our churches. The advantages of this system would be that if you want police protection you had better show up and support your church and the candidates for office it endorses or prepared to be raped by the candidates they already pushed into office.

Neal's picture

Well there's a nice moment of schadenfreude confirming what those of us on the lower rungs of economic society have always known.

The rich don't pay their taxes.

Joe O.'s picture

There never was a reason to give the rich tax cuts. No matter what, even with accountants, the rich have tax havens overseas that are in many ways exempt from any IRS scrutiny. The IRS has long arms, but not that long.  Many rich people have their assets in foreign bank accounts which they then convert their U.S. dollars into that nation's currency(ies).  Needless to say, the rich that do this gain more interest on their deposits than they would here in the U.S.  They would also gain by holding onto those stronger currencies as the U.S. dollars devalue.

Janet's picture

Breaking... I heard that Tom Lantos died.

fwacbar's picture

If the rich can figure out how to avoid paying taxes, then thats fine. Lets tax them at 100% from the first nickel. Anyone making more than say $250,000. They can keep what they can avoid paying in. We should be able to see if old georgieboy is right, pretty quickly, with that arrangement...

Janet @ 61:

Breaking... I heard that Tom Lantos died.

C&L has a new post up about his death

CalGeorge's picture

Positively Lincolnesque. Abe would be proud.

Start carving Dubya into Mt. Rushmore.

accountability's picture

excellent point.
excellent question.

Because those rich people still have their "good accountants and figure out how not to necessarily pay all the taxes and the middle class gets stuck" no matter what the tax rate?
Whatever the tax rate the accountants are there to help them get out of paying all their taxes or however the criminal said it.
Why not just find a way to make it legal to charge them NO tax... and in fact pay them a little something more because they have the courage and tenacity or birthright to be rich and setting an example for the rest of the poor slobs that should be paying the way for the rich to enjoy their just rewards.
Dear God... isn't anybody paying attention? (I mean besides you Steve Bennen)

Joementum's picture

By the same reasoning you could argue that we should abandon immigration laws because those darn illegals just keep hiring people to smuggle them into the country.

What a dolt.

Bangkok Bob's picture

"The obvious question is, then, why has Bush spent so much time giving tax cuts to the rich?!?!”

Well ... Because bush and all his buddies are rich? Because he wants to make sure the path he has to walk on is finely carpeted and soft on his privileged ass?

I and 3/4th's of the America would love to see this guy in a jail cell. Hell, we'd all pitch in to build a new prison just for him.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

CalGeorge @ 64:

Positively Lincolnesque. Abe would be proud.

Start carving Dubya into Mt. Rushmore.

I dunno, Abe Lincoln could could hold two axes, one in each hand, by the tips of fingers at the ends of the handles straight out and perpendicular to his body. He had been a rail splitter and was by any standard a remarkably strong man. George Bush, on the othe hand, can't hold a conversation.

xoites defends Constitution's picture

Bangkok Bob @ 67:

"The obvious question is, then, why has Bush spent so much time giving tax cuts to the rich?!?!”

Well ... Because bush and all his buddies are rich? Because he wants to make sure the path he has to walk on is finely carpeted and soft on his privileged ass?

I and 3/4th's of the America would love to see this guy in a jail cell. Hell, we'd all pitch in to build a new prison just for him.

Not me. I want him in the oldest, dampest, draftiest hell hole we got.

Aldo Gandia's picture

Surreal.
I worry.
He's so scary.

Sali's picture

Wow...why won't he just shut the hell up, does he not know that the MORE he opens his mouth the worse he makes it for his own party? I mean damn what a dick

Ron.j's picture

Worship the Golden Calf.

Gabriel's picture

i tells ya, this wasn't the first time Bush said that it was impossible to tax the rich, i think jon stewart brings it up a copule of years ago. can't remember when though.

Ian McGarrett's picture

Jesus wasn't an anti-tax kind of guy. When asked specifically about whether people should pay taxes to the Roman occupation his answer was to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.

Assassin's picture

GrammyinPA @ 48:

Anything that comes out of bush's mouth never makes any sense. He is soooooooooo STUPID.

Could anyone tell me why ALL Republicans refer to the Democrats as the "Democrat Party". It is disrespectful; however many many commentators also use the same phrase.

Correction: it is the "DEMOCRATIC PARTY".

I believe Newt Gingrich started it in the early-to-mid 1990s. Since "democratic" means "of the people", he preferred to make digs at the party by truncating the word so it ended in "rat", causing people to subliminably associate them with rodents rather than with a representative government. Brilliant strategery. And it's understandable that Newt would want to reduce others to rodents, given he's lived his entire life as a reptile.

It's sad that the Repigs are still using this years later, but it can be funny to watch them torpedo their own English. For instance, yesterday on Schieffer or Russert, Huckabee was talking about the importance of him staying in the primary so the voters have a choice. At one point, he said something like, "it's important that the democrat process .. uh, democratic process .. has a chance to unfold." It was great. :D

And Huckleberry has better English skills than most in his party. I'm surprised I haven't seen Bush make the same flub -- then again, the Unitary Executive has no reason to be talking of things like the "democratic process" in the first place.

Joementum's picture

Gabriel @ 73:

i tells ya, this wasn't the first time Bush said that it was impossible to tax the rich, i think jon stewart brings it up a copule of years ago. can't remember when though.

I think it was during one of the debates with Kerry in '04. Didn't make much sense then either.

Paul's picture

Bush will remain irredeemably corrupt and intellectually dishonest until his last breath. For somebody who has it all materially, he is utterly impoverished and bankrupt in what passes for his deformed and twisted soul. Glad I'm not him.

Cap Jones's picture

As mparker pointed out in #26, this is Bush's long held appraisal of the situation and not just some "brain fart" or yet another mistatement.

Bush thinks that there is no sense in taxing the rich because they will just cheat on their taxes and break the law, so the only place for the government to get revenue is from the realitively helpless working class.

Of course, Bush would never think of enforcing the law and to compell the Rich to pay up whether they wanted to or not. No, that possibilty never crossed his mind. Laws don't apply to the Rich in a Republican government.

Bob 'wide-stance' Schwartz's picture

My question is, why has that idiotic quote gotten so little attention?

Chico's picture

Assassin @ 75:

GrammyinPA @ 48:

Anything that comes out of bush's mouth never makes any sense. He is soooooooooo STUPID.

Could anyone tell me why ALL Republicans refer to the Democrats as the "Democrat Party". It is disrespectful; however many many commentators also use the same phrase.

Correction: it is the "DEMOCRATIC PARTY".

I believe Newt Gingrich started it in the early-to-mid 1990s. Since "democratic" means "of the people", he preferred to make digs at the party by truncating the word so it ended in "rat", causing people to subliminably associate them with rodents rather than with a representative government. Brilliant strategery. And it's understandable that Newt would want to reduce others to rodents, given he's lived his entire life as a reptile.

It's sad that the Repigs are still using this years later, but it can be funny to watch them torpedo their own English. For instance, yesterday on Schieffer or Russert, Huckabee was talking about the importance of him staying in the primary so the voters have a choice. At one point, he said something like, "it's important that the democrat process .. uh, democratic process .. has a chance to unfold." It was great. :D

And Huckleberry has better English skills than most in his party. I'm surprised I haven't seen Bush make the same flub -- then again, the Unitary Executive has no reason to be talking of things like the "democratic process" in the first place.

Just play the silly game along with them.

I call them 'Republans'.

Smedley Valet's picture

His father used to excuse his lax policy of taxing the rich by claiming that they were slippery. Well, he should know. One thing the father and son have in common, money.

MN USA's picture

Oh, Bush and his wealthy friends are soooo smart. Obviously it won't matter whether Congress makes those tax cuts (that helped our country go deep in debt) permanent or to repeal the estate tax laws because rich people are so smart they won't pay them anyway. Congress can get on with the important business of our country and not waste valuable time on prolonging these tax cuts.

I Am A Banana's picture

It so sad really. I saw him in the interview try so very hard to be a statesmen.

He's a washed up shell of a human being. He has no sense of the world, he only repeats what he's been told all of his life about how the poor rich people always get the short end of the stick and the mean bad working and poor people just want more, more, more!

No matter how hard he tries, he will always be that bumbling idiot that never amounted to anything.

The Political Junkie's picture

"Why has Bush spent so much time cutting taxes for the rich?"

Answer: They donated to his election campaigns - twice. He has to reward them for stealing elections.

Lawnchair's picture

Eisenhower. Paid off WWII debts. Built the interstates, dams, and a whole lot more. Largest boom in education expenditures. OK economy, but absolutely thriving, rapidly expanding middle class. 91% top marginal tax rate. Discuss. Sure, times are different, now. Yes, there was cheating, then. But there was a lot more "plow profits into the business", not accumulating vast personal sums.

Jacques's picture

What a fscking idiot that man is. Anyone have any graphs to show how much less the top 5% is paying as compared to how much more the middle class is paying collectively. I'm sure that plot would be enlightening to a lot of the knuckle draggers if you could convince themselves to turn their head away from fox or their daily dose of emphatic head nodding while listening to the rush, the vulgar pigboy.

dosido's picture

So. I have to ask the obvious question:

Did Chris Wallace ask Bush the obvious question? That is, why has Bush spent so much time giving tax cuts to the rich?

Didn't think so.

RJ's picture

"Wealthy people hire accountants, so the government should leave their tax rates alone?"

My interpretation was different. I think he's saying that our government desperately needs more money and that there is no way to get it from the rich. The democrats will try and fail to get it from the rich but they'll have to get it from somewhere so they'll give up on their promises and raise taxes on the middle class instead.

The Bush quote is closest thing to a complete thought that I 've heard come out of his mouth in a long time. Too bad it's utter crap.

Death Star's picture

The Rethugs stand for nothing, they use taxes and strong military as wedge issues. While the masses are being distracted people that our representatives are suppose to be protectiong are getting killed by big pharma, floride in water causeing cancer, mercury shots being given to kids and The FBI are actually staging terrorism, because no one ask the right questions. SO KEEP DRINKING THE KOOL AID POLICE, YOU WILL ONE DAY BE SUBJECT TO A JUDGE.

Anthony R. Gamboa's picture

Maybe Mr. Bush and his accountants can keep each other company in Federal Prison when they are convicted of tax fraud.

hope's picture

I know there's no way this was gonna happen but it sure would have been nice to hear Wallace respond with, "so why don't you simplify the tax code so the accountants won't have any more loopholes that allow them to 'figure out how not to necessarily pay all the taxes' they owe?".

And why do they still run these interviews? Can anyone even bring themselves to watch the enablers genuflecting any more?

neverbeenfooled's picture

Of course this makes sense when put in the proper context: increasing taxes on the rich will reduce the amount they'll be able to contribute to GOP campaign funds.

ckerst's picture

If rich people don't pay taxes why are they concerned about the tax rate? As usual the repugnacan line is nonsense.

Yellowbird's picture

If the rich don't pay taxes they shouldn't be allowed to vote.

If the rich have accountants file their taxes, the poor should be allowed accountants too, paid for by mandatory contributions from the rich.

Plisko's picture

Translation:

The Democrats are going to raise taxes. We Republicans, on the other hand want to keep taxes low by borrowing money quietly behind the scenes until we are bankrupt. It will make you rank and file feel good while you are voting. . . your retirement fund may collapse and the dollar may end up being worth only 10 cents in the near future. . . but don't worry about these things. . taxes are low. Isn't that all that really matters? Besides, by then we too will be retired and sitting on the boards of the international companies we gave the borrowed money to so. . be happy today. Don't worry about tomorrow. . . . we will worry about tomorrow for you. It's the American way. It works with your credit cards. Why not with government?

The retarded chimp gets dumber by the minute. By the end of the year his IQ will be in the negatives.

Dana's picture

Yeah, the rich probably hire the same accountants that help Bush and
Cheney hide the millions they've made off the Iraq war.

Rusty's picture

Secretary Not Sure @ 98:

The retarded chimp gets dumber by the minute. By the end of the year his IQ will be in the negatives.

That happened years ago!
I seem to remember "My Pet Goat" was a bit of a stretch for the fool.

Mike the Canuck's picture

dj @ 44:

I agree with Bush whole heartedly. The reasoning is simple really, and it complies with Christian teachings. Tax is the bane of human existence. Tax represents prostitution of oneself for an immoral, socially-bereft government. Tax should not be encouraged, it is a form of forced wage garnished. Tithing to the Christian Church should instead be encouraged. Tithing is involuntary, and money spent to the Church are used to serve the Christian causes. Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

dj (Arlington Group)

hahahaahahahahahahahahhahahhaahahahaahahhahahhhhahahaha....oops I just fell off my chair

prunes's picture

Bush has been a good shepherd in following this Christian teachings, and I praise him for that.

I wonder how $10 trillion in debt incurred to your master figures into the 'good steward' accounting?

E in MD's picture

"People feel overtaxed"

Uh huh.. Uncontested control of the government by which party for the last 8 years?

And before that, majority control of the Congress since your big lie in 1994 ( See Contract With America )?

And YOU GUYS are going to lower taxes when you have >= 2 wars yet to pay for in addition to paying for all your new homeland security bs?

You had 12 years to prove this 'We're going to lower taxes' claptrap. Yet people still feel overtaxed.

Chimpy, shut your banana hole. Your boy isn't going to win. Your own wingnuts don't even support him.

Media Concepts's picture

If one follows Bush's logic (an admittedly dangerous endeavor), and believes wealthier people hire accountants to lower their taxes artificially, then does it not follow that tax rates for the wealthy should be raised to reflect this built-in artificial discount?

odanny's picture

I hope he writes a book about his tenure as President. Of course, he couldnt write anything that would pass an 8th grade writing test but someone has got to do his biography, and it will make for great laughs as they try and make this man of average intelligence.

pnac's picture

"I believe Newt Gingrich started it in the early-to-mid 1990s. Since “democratic” means “of the people”, he preferred to make digs at the party by truncating the word so it ended in “rat”, causing people to subliminably associate them with rodents rather than with a representative government. Brilliant strategery. And it’s understandable that Newt would want to reduce others to rodents, given he’s lived his entire life as a reptile."

I used to see the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (owned by Richard Mellon Scaife) do this when referring to Democ-
rats even when it plain to see that there was more than enough room on the next line to punctuate it correctly.

If you want to read an eyeopening book on how the rich get out of paying taxes, read "Perfectly Legal" by David Cay Johnston.

sah's picture

did anyone get what this drunken dipshit just said?? I sure didnt

Dark Knight DC's picture

What he should have said was taxing rich people doesn't work because rich people own businesses and businesses hire workers.

He also should have said that the size and scope of the federal government is way too big and that we need to drastically reduce it so that all people rich, middle class and poor can keep their own hard earned money.

But you won't hear him say these things because Bush is the biggest tax and spend President in history.

Never fear though, Billary or McCrazy will take the crown come 2009.

WC's picture

Imbecile does not even begin to describe George W. Bush.

Daisy Zimmerly's picture

This is the kind of logic that comes from a head full of mush. Goddamn, he's an embarrassment. Can you imagine what the rest of the world must be thinking about Americans for allowing this mentally challenged criminal to bully us for two terms. No more Republicans for President, EVER!

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