Kerry-Edwards Fact Sheet on Bush Agenda

[Khephra]

Kerry-Edwards Fact Sheet on Bush Agenda

9/4/2004 11:08:00 AM


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To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Allison Dobson of Kerry-Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a fact sheet from Kerry-Edwards 2004:

THE FACTS:

GEORGE BUSH'S FAILED AGENDA FOR AMERICA

George W. Bush is offering a failed agenda for America. His agenda will increase health care costs, raise taxes and cut Social Security benefits. After four years of record job loss and budget-busting deficits, Bush has failed to deliver for American families. It is a plan that continues to shift the burden onto the middle class while Bush's special interest friends.

BUSH'S FAILED RECORD FOR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES:

George Bush Will Face Re-Election Without Creating A Single New Job. With only one more month of jobs data before the election, it is now certain that George Bush will be the first President since the 1930s to create no new jobs as President. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

The Economy Should Have Created More Than 6 Million Jobs Over This Period Just To Keep Up With Population - We're Now 7 Million Jobs Short Of George Bush's Prediction. Annual projections in the 2002 Economic Report of the President implied more than 6 million new jobs between January 2001 and August 2004. Instead, we have lost 900,000 million jobs. As a result, we are more than 7 million jobs short of the prediction which President Bush made after 9/11, the tech bubble, and the recession. (BLS and Economic Report of the President, 2002. Note the Economic Report of the President projected an average of 138.3 million jobs in 2004. That corresponds to roughly 138.7 million jobs in August; the actual jobs total in August was 131.5 million.)

BUSH'S AGENDA:

Bush Will Raise Taxes on the Middle Class. Brookings Economist William Gale writes, "To replace all federal taxes on a revenue-neutral basis over the next 10 years would require a sales tax rate of about 60 percent." To cover just income taxes, the national sales tax would have to be at least 26 percent. (William Gale, "A Note on the Required Tax Rate in a National Retail Sales Tax," 8/12/04)

Bush's Social Security Plan Will Cut Benefits for Seniors. George Bush's recycled Social Security plan that will eliminate retirement security for seniors. His own Social Security Commission already met, came up with a plan, and that it would cut benefits by up to 45 percent, borrow $2 trillion over the next decade to pay for the transition, and tax away 80 percent of the individual account that the worker supposedly owns. (Social Security Administration, Office of the Actuary, "Estimates of Financial Effects for Three Models Developed by the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security," January 31, 2002 and CBO, "Long-term Analysis of Plan 2 of the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security," 7/21/2004)

President's Last Ditch Effort at a Jobs Plan Leaves Out 99 Percent of Counties. In a desperate, last minute attempt to say something about the 2.7 million manufacturing jobs that have been lost, George Bush is renaming existing government programs as Opportunity Zones. Now, George Bush will pick 20 lucky communities to get tax credits for small businesses and job creation. He has nothing to offer the other 3,121 counties - 99 percent of America is left out of George Bush's plan.

JOHN KERRY'S PLAN TO CREATE NEW JOBS AND CUT HEALTH CARE COSTS:

Create New Jobs and End Outsourcing. John Kerry will create millions of new jobs with a New Jobs Tax Credit and by cutting capital gains for small businesses everywhere in America. He will also stop subsidizing the movement of jobs overseas.

Expand Health Care and Cut Costs. John Kerry will cut premiums health care premiums by up to $1,000, give small businesses tax credits to cover up to 50 percent of employees' premiums and cover the catastrophic health care costs. Kerry's plan will also cover an additional 27 million Americans, including all children

Paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. Web: http://www.johnkerry.com

http://www.usnewswire.com/

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35669

[gottaB]

1. Jobs numbers

saw a clip on the Newshour where Kerry, in Ohio, critized the 144,000 new jobs. He said at that rate, Ohio wouldn't see net job growth until 2011. That was pretty effective.

Recalling Bush's past prediction is a doubly whammy. Forget Herbert Hoover (who?). Bush can't even measure up to the goals he set for himself. Twofold conclusion: Bush is a loser; Bush can't be trusted.

[wtmusic]

2. good list

one typo: 900,000 million jobs.

[Khephra]

3. kick

[stray cat]

4. Bush translated: I will put the tax burden on the lower 98% of Americans

Translation of tort reform: "I will ensure that no American has an avenue to fight injustices by large corporations.

Not only will Bush "protect" Americans from terrorism. He will protect large corporations from working Americans and the upper 2% of Americans from taxes.

Gee, what a guy!

[Khephra]

5. kick