Given the fact that most of the Republican establishment would probably rather pretend they'd never heard of the name George W. Bush, I'm sure Mitt Romney can't be too thrilled about this appearance on the same day Rick Santorum finally dropped out of the Republican primary race.
Bush Tax Cuts: George W. Wishes They Didn’t Bear His Name:
Making a rare post-presidential policy address, former President George W. Bush said he wishes the “Bush tax cuts” had someone else’s name attached to them because “if they were called somebody else’s tax cuts, they’d probably be less likely to be raised.”
The so-called Bush tax cuts, enacted during Bush’s first term between 2001 and 2003, are set to expire at the end of the year and are sure to be a campaign issue in November.
The former president was speaking in New York at an event that also bears his name, the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s conference on “Tax Policies For 4% Growth,” at the New York Historical Society.
He said he rarely comments publicly on policy because, “I don’t think it’s good for our country to undermine our president and I don’t intend to do so,” Bush said, according to Forbes.
But Bush had a pointed message about tax policy: “If you raise taxes on the so-called rich,” he said, “you’re really raising taxes on the job creators.”
Steve Benen had the appropriate response to Bush deciding to go out and lecture anyone else on economic policies -- Bush claims credibility on taxes, economic policy:
Given the spectacular nature of his economic failures, former President George W. Bush should probably avoid lectures on what policymakers should do when cleaning up his mess. But the man with the limitless chutzpah still likes to think he has some credibility on the subject.
Forbes magazine posted this clip of Bush speaking in New York City this morning at the George W. Bush Presidential Center's conference on "Tax Policies For 4% Growth."
And how, pray tell, does Bush believe tax policy can lead to 4% GDP growth in the private sector? How else? By giving wealthy people more tax cuts. Indeed, the former president argued, "[I]f you raise taxes on the so-called rich, you're really raising taxes on the job creators." [...]
Bush had his shot for two terms. He got the massive tax breaks he wanted; he got the spending levels he wanted; he got the regulatory framework he wanted. We tried it his way for nearly a decade and the result was an unmitigated disaster for the ages. As has been well documented, we'll be dealing with the consequences of his astonishing failures for many, many years to come.
And now he wants to lecture us on tax and economic policy? Is he serious?
Don't go away mad, Mr. Bush. Just go away.
Segment above via Forbes Video.
