George W. Bush: I Wish They Weren't Called 'Bush Tax Cuts'

Former President George W. Bush spoke on fiscal policy on Tuesday, taking a jab at President Obama's tax plan and expressing a regret on his own cuts enacted during his first term.

“I don’t think it’s good for our country to undermine our president and I don’t intend to do so,” Bush clarified during his speech at the New York Historical Society for the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s conference on “Tax Policies For 4% Growth.” The Bush Institute is in the process of writing a book on how to achieve 4 percent growth in the private sector. It's an undertaking that he joked -- as he has before -- must be shocking to the cynics who "didn't think [he] could read, much less write a book."

Bush then turned to tax policy, outlining a broad principle that he believes will help spur growth in the private sector.

"Most small businesses pay tax at the individual income level, therefore if you raise taxes on the so-called rich, you’re really raising taxes on the job creators," he said, indirectly countering Obama's stated goal to return tax rates on the wealthy to pre-Bush levels. "If the goal is private sector growth, you've got to recognize that the best way to achieve that growth is to leave capital in the treasuries of the job creators."

Bush went on to suggest that his tax cuts are such a popular target for Democrats simply because his name is attached to them.

"I wish they weren’t called the Bush tax cuts," the former president admitted. "If they were called some other body's tax cuts, they're probably less likely to be raised."

WATCH via Forbes:

Comments

[factsnot fox]

12:43 PM on 04/16/2012

If those tax cuts were a good thing I'm sure the worst President this country ever had would be more than happy to have them labeled "The Bush Tax Cuts".

[cdecisneros]

02:38 PM on 04/15/2012

He was on cspan today. He said that at his foundation they believe that to whom much is given much is required. Beautiful thought. Too bad they do not feel that way about taxes.

[negogato]

06:12 PM on 04/14/2012

Yeah, Hoover didn't like them to call those places Hoovervilles either. He really did not like that.

[vette086]

06:41 PM on 04/13/2012

He didn't complain about the name in 2001 to2012 he must see what that tax reduction did to the country, along with two wars.OBAMA/BIDEN.. 2012-16

[the sue]

05:40 PM on 04/13/2012

I wish George W. Bush had never been elected president in 2004, and that he hadn't been appointed in 2000.

[negogato]

06:09 PM on 04/14/2012

A political machine called diebolt had a hand in the 2004 election in Ohio

[vidian6]

04:50 AM on 04/13/2012

I wish we didn't have this mess that he left us with, but then again that what I get for wishing.

[LibRule]

02:33 PM on 04/12/2012

Bush again demonstrates a remarkably low understanding of the subject at hand. We gave the 'job creators' a free ride. Their wealth soared, the only jobs they created were overseas. Now he wants to do it again. Brilliant!

[Jay Thomas]

01:24 PM on 04/12/2012

Tax cuts do not raise revenue ever...and starting two wars and the resulting costs are what put us into the dumpster...not social programs ! Please folks keep it simple. Afghanistan should have a sign that says " abandon all hope yee who enter here"...there have been other " players" who have lost it $$$$ in that country. Reagan had the good sense to raise taxs when he needed to. As Obama said Reagan himself would not make it through a GOP race today...he would be way to " middle of the road"

[r3000]

01:30 AM on 04/12/2012

He's right. It would be better to call them "the unelected president's tax-cuts".
Or "daddy's friends made him president tax-cuts".
Or there's "the Greenspan said surpluses are dangerous tax-cuts"

[tacevad]

10:54 PM on 04/11/2012

there are Trillion$ of rea$on$ in the country's debt many of us wish they never even existed either, It will take decades to repair the damage left by not just the Bush Tax Cuts but from Bush's Presidency in general.

[bleedingheart9]

09:20 PM on 04/11/2012

Bush might be able to read - the comics, but writing, well that's what ghostwriters are for, just ask Sarah Palin and all of the other great Republican minds of today.

[asiclilpup]

09:11 PM on 04/11/2012

You made your own bed on thisdubya so ya gotta own it. Too bad and I wish it was you in the jar that momma showed you.

[Jeff Lassiter]

09:07 PM on 04/11/2012

Wish in one hand and S*** in the other and see which one fills up faster Dubya.

[QuintinJordon]

08:28 PM on 04/11/2012

The reason - Why? Will always be on my mind when it came to the Bush Tax Cuts. They were not needed at the time - Not if you are not going to offset them with other cuts to balance the tax cuts.

And he deserves to have these tax cuts, the two wars, and the Medicare prescription drugs fix on his record. None of these endeavors were paid for, and it did create a huge hole for the next President to dig out, which would have been left for either party.

It was obvious the stimulus plan should have been more targeted, and used more funds. - INFRASTRUCTURE - would have been nice.

[theobserver4]

08:21 PM on 04/11/2012

No W. they don't pay at the Individual rate, but you don't know that because all you've dealt with is trust fund income and income from the jobs your daddy landed you. They're called the Bush tax cuts because you pushed for them, imploded our economy and ran our deficit through the roof. It's part of your terrible terrible legacy.

F off, go away don't speak.

[negogato]

12:23 AM on 04/12/2012

He might as well have said, I wish the Bush presidency was not called the Bush presidency.
He owns those tax cuts like he owns his signature - which signed them into law.