Washington Updates

After Meeting With Economic Advisors, President Bush Says "The Purpose Of Government Is To Make It More Possible For People To Realize Dreams"

"If the majority in Congress gets its way, American families, small businesses will face a massive tax hike.  It would amount to the largest tax increase in American history.  Now, look, I recognize the Democrats control the Congress, and with it, the power of the purse.  I also have some power, and it's called the veto.  And I have the votes in Congress to sustain vetoes, and therefore, I will use the veto to keep your taxes low and to keep federal spending under control."

                                                                                                               President George W. Bush, 8/8/07

"Our Economy Prospers When We Trust The American People With Their Own Paychecks"

President Bush: "Since 2003, our economy has added more than 8.3 million new jobs and almost four years of uninterrupted growth.  We continue to grow at a steady pace."  "Tax cuts let Americans keep their own money.  It stimulates entrepreneurship."  (President George W. Bush, Statement With Economic Advisors, The Treasury Department, 8/8/07)

• "When people earn more money, tax revenues go up. This year, taxrevenues are expected to be $167 billion higher than last year's, because the economy is growing." "Growing tax revenues combined with spending restraint has helped us drive down the federal deficit, and we were able to do so without raising the taxes on the people who work, or without raising taxes on small business owners or farmers."

"Democrats In Congress Want To Increase Taxes And Turn Them Into Additional Government Programs, And I Strongly Oppose That Approach" 

President Bush: "[Democrats in Congress] passed a budget resolution that includes an extra $205 billion in discretionary spending over the next five years."  "Now, somebody is going to have to pay for it.  And that, of course, will be the hardworking American people will have to pay for that excessive spending. ...That averages out to about $112 million per day; $4.7 million per hour; $78,000 per minute.  Put another way, it's about $1,300 in higher spending every second of every minute of every hour of every year for the next five years."

• "I'm an optimistic person, particularly when it comes to the ability of Americans to create and dream and work hard. I'll be less optimistic if Congress has its way and raises taxes on the American people." "The purpose of government is to make it more possible for people to realize dreams, and to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit. That has been the policies of this administration and it will continue to be the policies of this administration."

Members Of Congress "Need To Pass ... Spending Bills, One At A Time, Before The Deadline"

President Bush: "When Members of Congress return from their August recess, they'll have less than a month to pass the 12 spending bills needed to keep the federal government running before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th."  "They need to pass these spending bills, one at a time, before the deadline.  In a time of war, I ask them to start by sending me the spending bill for the Department of Defense, so I can sign that into law."

"There's Some Long-Term Challenges To Our Economy And We Need To Work Together To Address Those Challenges"

President Bush: "One way to address the challenges is to continue opening up markets for America's good and services, and the best way to do that is to expand free trade."  "We've negotiated new free agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama, and Korea. And now Congress needs to carry out its responsibilities and approve these agreements."

• "We're going to work hard to conclude the Doha Round of trade negotiations..." "[A]ll aiming to open up new opportunities for U.S. producers and aiming to fulfill a great calling, and that is to help eliminate poverty around the world."

• "We need to reform our health care system by making private health insurance more affordable and available."

• "We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by promoting alternative fuels."

• "We need to confront the rising cost of entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security."