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Daschle vows tax breaks for middle-class families
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democrats will tackle the weak economy, joblessness, terrorism, homeland security and the growing deficit as priorities in the new year, the party's Senate minority leader said Saturday. In the Democrats' weekly radio address, Tom Daschle of South Dakota criticized President Bush's plans for an economic stimulus package, to be unveiled next week. "The tax break the president is said to be proposing is the wrong idea at the wrong time to help the wrong people," Daschle said. "The plan the president is considering would almost exclusively go to the wealthiest Americans." "I intend to do everything I can to replace this misguided plan with a proposal for immediate tax relief for middle class families -- tax relief that will actually spur economic growth," he added.
Daschle is expected to announce the formation of an exploratory committee in the coming weeks, the first step toward a run for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. "Democrats know the key to restarting economic growth: tax relief for middle-class families; business incentives to create new jobs, and investments in human talent," Daschle said. Last week at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Bush -- who admitted that tax breaks would be part of his proposal -- rejected criticism from some Democrats that past tax breaks have primarily benefited the wealthy. His aides said Bush is expected to propose acceleration of the 2001 tax cuts for middle- and upper-income earners, but he might not include cuts in connection with the top rate, which is 38.6 percent for income over $311,950, they said. Advisers said they are likely to recommend that Bush no longer consider speeding up tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Daschle said other Democratic priorities will be to increase protection for the nation's ports, borders, food and water supplies, and chemical and nuclear plants. "The work of fighting the war on terrorism and strengthening homeland security is critical, it is far from finished, and Democrats intend to push the Bush administration to see that it is accelerated," the senator said. "In the coming weeks and months, Democrats will do more than just fight ideas that we think are wrong -- we will propose policies we think are right," Daschle said.
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The plan the president is considering would almost exclusively go to the wealthiest Americans.
