If Kerry doesn't take this CBO article and run with it, something's wrong

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/campaign_taxes_cbo_dc

CBO Report: Bush Tax Cuts Tilted to Rich

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One-third of President Bush (news - web sites)'s tax cuts have gone to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, shifting more burden to middle-income taxpayers, congressional analysts said on Friday.

The report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (news - web sites) and calculations by congressional Democrats based on the CBO findings fueled the debate over the cuts between Bush and his Democratic challenger in November, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites).

Using the CBO's figures, Democrats in Congress said the top 1 percent, with incomes averaging $1.2 million per year, will receive an average tax cut of $78,460 this year, and have seen their share of the total tax burden fall roughly 2 percentage points to 20.1 percent.

In contrast, the report showed that households in the middle 20 percent, with incomes averaging $57,000 per year, will receive an average cut of $1,090 while their share of the tax burden would move to 10.5 percent from 10.4 percent. The CBO report said about two-thirds of the benefits from the cuts went to households in the top 20 percent, with an average income of $203,740.

[Cocoa]

1. what's wrong with you?

why not just post Kerry's statement, easily gotten from his campaign website?

http://blog.johnkerry.com/blog/archives/002451.html


“Today’s report reinforces what middle-class families across the country already knew about George Bush. His tax breaks have forced them to pay a bigger share of America’s tax burden forcing them to bear the brunt of his failed economic policies. George Bush says we are turning the corner, but he is turning his back on middle-class families. It is bad enough that George Bush has no plan to help middle-class families squeezed by declining wages and skyrocketing costs for healthcare, energy and college tuition. Now we find that he is deliberately stacking the deck against them. This is the straw that will break the back of middle-class families.

“America can do better. John Edwards and I have a plan to cut middle-class taxes, create new and better jobs, make quality health care affordable, reduce our dependence on Middle East oil and help families succeed. Unlike George Bush, our plan puts middle-class families first. That is the kind of leadership that will build a stronger economy and a stronger America.”

[yellowcanine]

4. Yep - Kerry is ON it. This is NOT the Dukakis campaign, thank God.

Kerry's Rapid Response Team has been awesome, imo.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. Nothing, but thanks for asking

Nice tone to your reply. Have a nice day.

[Southsideirish]

7. Why such a hostile reply? Let's be nice to each other - the

other crowd is more than eager to gouge us - lets no do it to one another.

[Cocoa]

9. the original post was hostile

flamebait, even.

What about the question I asked, why? Why take an article about Bush's failure, and use it against Kerry?

[senseandsensibility]

13. I don't think I would

call it flamebait. The article is more important than Kerry's press release because the average voter will see it as more objective. It is also a small sign that the media is doing its job. I saw the original post more as an encouragement to Kerry to talk this article up. It didn't seem critical to me.;)

[Democat]

10. Press releases don't mean much to most people - we need to see advertising

Who reads press releases except people who have already decided who to vote for.

Run with it means run some fucking ads quickly, before Bush makes a preemptive attack on this issue.

Kerry needs to do more offense.

[bigtree]

18. Ads cost money that the Kerry campaign is short of for a few weeks

before the repub convention and the ability to spend. Campain finance laws are hampering them this month because the repubs decided to hold their convention a month later. Remember the debate over whether he should announce later so that he could spend the money?

Get a grip and try accept that the campaign is way ahead of anything you can grouse about here on this board. If you feel that they need a boost, get involved and push the message along with them.

[Beaverhausen]

2. also...

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0813a.html

[bigtree]

17. And here is the press outreach effort by the Kerry camp

Kerry Campaign Conference Call at 1:20 p.m. ET: Altman and Devine Discuss New CBO Report and Bush Assault on Middle Class

8/13/2004 11:18:00 AM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor, Political Reporter

Contact: Chad Clanton or Phil Singer of Kerry-Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800, Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

News Advisory:

Today at 1:20 p.m. ET, former Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger Altman and Kerry-Edwards campaign strategist Tad Devine will hold a conference call with reporters to discuss a new report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirming George Bush's attempt to shift the tax burden on to working families.

The report by the non-partisan, independent CBO shows that while the wealthiest Americans saw their share of taxes go down as a result of the Bush tax cuts, middle-class families - already struggling to get ahead and squeezed by rising every day costs - saw their burden go up.

While George Bush continues his assault on working families - even floating the idea of a national sales tax which would result in an additional tax on the middle class - John Kerry and John Edwards want to make America's tax code reflect our moral code. They will rollback the Bush-Cheney tax cuts for family's making over $200,000 and use the savings to make healthcare and education more affordable. They will extend the middle-class tax cuts and make them permanent. And they will propose new tax cuts to help middle-class families, create high-paying jobs, and foster innovation and economic growth.

Conference Call August 13, 2004 at 1:20 p.m. ET

To participate in the call, please contact Chris Jackson at [e-mail] or 202-464-2800.

------

Paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.


http://www.usnewswire.com/

[Bandit]

3. Isn't this the next issue to be argued in Congress?

Bush* wants to make his tax cuts perminent and they expire this year as it now sits. I think this could not have come at a better time whether Kerry picks it up or not. I am sure Kerry will add it to his arsenal though.

[DaveSZ]

6. It needs to be an ad though

The media is against him, so it's hard to get his message out without ads.

[sandnsea]

8. He referred to it in Portland

He's already on it. :)

[senseandsensibility]

11. I'm glad to hear it

Press releases are fine and his appear to be well done, but they get NO COVERAGE. It doesn't matter why they don't get coverge (we all know why); it only matters that they don't. I agree that an ad about this is needed. So I'm glad he's "on it".

[Democat]

12. Some people here apparently think press releases are all you need to win

That is an amazing belief.

We have a hostile right wing media and some people think that a press release is enough?

Unbelievable.

[senseandsensibility]

15. This does seem to be a common

misconception here. It seems to be encouraged by Democratic Strategist who's posting here, too, although I admit I haven't read all of his posts. I'm with you. The subtle approach ain't gonna cut it in this environment, and expecting the mediawhores to publicize Kerry's excellent press releases is foolish.

[sandnsea]

16. WE need to spread it

Lots and lots of local newspapers have their own forums. We need to make sure every important press release is posted to every news forum online. We need to write short letters every time the campaign releases something. And, we need to STAY ON MESSAGE. When we say something that doesn't match what the campaign says, the people in our local areas notice. What WE say might be more important than what Kerry says, in the end. If WE say he stands for something different than he has said, it confuses people AND gives many a reason not to vote for him. One that comes to mind is "free health care". Kerry is NOT proposing free health care for everybody and it makes me nuts when I see people write into newspapers that he is.

[bigtree]

19. The man is on the campaign trail and campaigning hard.

Some folks can do nothing but criticize Kerry. I would strongly agree that we have to press the media, but the whining by some on this board doesn't comport with the focused campaign Kerry is running so far. Funny, I haven't seen any post from these folks that further the debate or reflect the efforts of the Kerry camp.

Also the detractors cite news reports that are supposed to indicate that Bush is getting the better of Kerry and then in the same breath they denounce the news efforts of the Kerry camp as irrelevant. Ads are fine but the efforts of the Kerry campaign are keeping him a step ahead of Bush and I expect that to continue. Perhaps these folks want to argue that Kerry is behind, but I haven't seen that in the polls.

[senseandsensibility]

14. Thanks for posting this

I heard about this on the news this morning, and wondered if it would get more coverage. It is a very big deal IMHO. I rated the article a 5. We need to encourage the media to do its job whenever possible, and on the rare occasions when they do.

[bigtree]

20. Here's the more extensive release- Help spread the effort

New Congressional Budget Office Report Confirms that George Bush is Shifting the Tax Burden to the Middle Class, Says Kerry Campaign

8/13/2004 10:59:00 AM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk

Contact: Chad Clanton or Phil Singer, 202-464-2800, both of Kerry-Edwards 2004

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by Kerry-Edwards 2004

"George W. Bush keeps trying to mislead Americans into thinking we're turning the corner, but truth is that he is turning his back on middle class families. By putting more of the tax burden on them and ignoring record health care and energy costs, the Bush policies are exacerbating the squeeze that working families have been feeling for the last four years. John Kerry knows we can do better and has a plan to provide a more generous tax cut to the middle class," Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said.

The Headlines Say It All

"Tax Burden Shifts to the Middle." (Washington Post headline, 8/13/04)

"Budget Office Says Biggest Tax Cuts Go to Richest 1 percent." (Wall Street Journal headline, 8/13/04)

"Report Finds Tax Cuts Heavily Favor the Wealthy." (New York Times headline, 8/13/04)

Bush Tax Cuts Shifted Tax Burden to the Middle Class

Much more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=113-08132004

___________________________________

[Generator]

21. Kerry mentioned it in Portland today

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-7/109241664634390.xml&storylist=orlocal