George Bush Doubles Down On Tax Cuts, Conveniently Forgets Recession

NEW YORK -- In what felt like a flashback to the Republican party circa 2003, former U.S. President George W. Bush argued against raising taxes on "job creators" during a rare public appearance on Tuesday morning. Dozens of top GOP brass, including governors, conservative economists and other former Republican policy makers, gathered to discuss tax policies for "4 percent growth" amidst Revolutionary War relics and 9/11 photographs at the New York Historical Society.

The former president spoke for about 15 minutes to open a day-long conference organized by the Bush Institute to promote conservative tax policies. In his remarks Bush made no mention of the financial crisis that shook Wall Street during the final years of his presidency or the resulting recession, the nation's worst since the Great Depression.

Instead, looking suntanned and relaxed, Bush breezed through many trademark Republican talking points, including private sector growth, "universal freedom" and values. "If you raise taxes for the rich, you raise them on job creators," the former president said.

Republicans are lobbying for the permanent adoption of the Bush-era tax cuts, claiming that they are responsible for driving growth in the private sector. However, critics have said that changes made in tax policy in 2001 and 2003 under President Bush have unfairly pushed more burden onto middle-class families and away from the richest Americans.

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama is scheduled to roll out his proposal for higher taxes on the rich, aka the "Buffett Rule," which would require the wealthiest Americans to pay at least 30 percent of their income in federal taxes.

Before the event started, the audience of party faithful greeted each other like long-lost fraternity brothers. An aging Henry Kissinger called out to a friend that they would have lunch soon. Karl Rove was greeted warmly by many guests and former Republican presidential nominee Steve Forbes also gave opening remarks, during which he fondly compared Bush to Presidents Lincoln and Truman.

Bush has made few public appearances since leaving office in January 2009.

"When you get out of office, it is a daunting feeling," he said. "I decided to stay out of the limelight." Bush said he has been spending time planning the Bush Institute, which will include his presidential archive and library, as well as going mountain biking and playing golf with veterans. He said he does not miss the Oval Office, but he does miss his role as the military's top decision maker.

"I do miss being commander in chief," he said, "a lot."

Comments

[D Michael Cavalier]

11:08 AM on 05/23/2012

He still thinks he's relevant. ROTFL

[TarzanaGirl]

12:31 PM on 04/22/2012

"Bush said he has been spending time planning the Bush Institute."

Ironic, since Bush belongs INSIDE an institute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Liz Norman]

02:28 AM on 04/14/2012

And we voted this guy in office twice! Shame on us.

[Richard Eldridge]

06:39 AM on 04/12/2012

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000

43 of the 96 months that George W. Bush was President, the unemployment rate was 5% or less.
11 of the 96 months that George W. Bush was President, the unemployment rate was above 6%.
2 96 months that George W. Bush was President, the unemployment rate was above 7%.
0 of the 96 months that George W. Bush was President, the unemployment rate was above 7.8%.

He might know what he's talking about.

[GoodDog0325]

01:35 AM on 04/12/2012

Low brain weight.

[Deep Thinking Man]

04:09 PM on 04/11/2012

When you get out of office, it is a daunting feeling," he said. "I decided to stay out of the limelight."

LIAR !!!!!!...war criminal !!!!!!!...he and whole Regime should be in trial found guilty...and executed !!!!

[ipv4]

03:52 PM on 04/11/2012

A face only a mother can love. He looks confused as usual.

[RedDog79]

04:22 PM on 04/11/2012

correction - he IS confused.

[vidian6]

03:47 PM on 04/11/2012

It wasn't enough that he left this country in a disatrous state but now he thinks that someone cares about his opinion. Like I always believed this man is a nut.

[laura r]

03:09 PM on 04/11/2012

In the 1980's Reagan talked about the shining city upon a hill. Thirty years later, we now have Cities in America that are in disarray from lack of tax dollars to repair them.

An yet the 30 year beat of the GOP still goes on -------“ Lower taxes” will bring the economy back--- the job creators will create those jobs someday soon, when hell freeze over. If we continue down this road we will all have frost bite by the time the jobs come rolling into that Shining City upon the Hill?

The only thing that the GOP is creating now is Crony Capitalism, just like they did in the years before the Great Depression.

Here’s an example:

The senators who voted for Big Oil’s handouts received on average over four times as much career oil cash as those who voted to end them.
– Overall, Senate Republicans have taken $23.2 million in oil and gas contributions.

. "I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system."
--George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2008

"The economy is growing, productivity is high, trade is up, people are working. It's not as good as we'd like, but -- and to the extent that we find weakness, we'll move." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008

As the GOP beat goes on-----they are creating a banana republic out of the good old U.S.A.

[durof1]

03:09 PM on 04/11/2012

Can we all say ... stupid is as stupid does !!!!!!!!!!

[Almondo]

03:08 PM on 04/11/2012

It kinda looks like he bought a Binford ™ GlugMaster 5000 or something.

[Almondo]

03:06 PM on 04/11/2012

The GOP's "Shrub of Amnesia" available in liquid, gel and tablet form.

[cdecisneros]

02:47 PM on 04/11/2012

What kind of amensia is it when you want to vote for the candidate from the party that broke the world? Romney=Bush. So we will have the exact same adminstration again.

[JoeBlough]

02:27 PM on 04/11/2012

He’s out from hiding. This is the time to arrest him for crimes against humanity.

[TarzanaGirl]

12:33 PM on 04/22/2012

....along with his evil co-conspirator Lord Cheney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[artgurrl]

02:24 PM on 04/11/2012

Keep talking former president Bush. You're the very reason why American's need reminding why we are in deep crap as a country.