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http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/republicans_debate/2008/01/10/63483.html
GOP Rivals Back Tax, Spending Cuts in SC
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Republican presidential rivals backed a blend of tax and spending cuts
Thursday night to head off an election-year recession they generally agreed
is avoidable. "We should reduce taxes on middle-income Americans
immediately," former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said in a debate in the
run-up to presidential primaries in Michigan and South Carolina, two states
where unemployment exceeds the national average.
"The first thing is not to raise taxes," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike
Huckabee. "Cut the marginal tax rate, if anything, and eventually go to a
fair tax," he added, referring to his plan for a national sales tax to
replace the income tax.
Arizona Sen. John McCain stressed spending cuts to get the budget deficit
under control, although he also said it was important not to let Bush
administration-era tax cuts expire. He pledged to "wield the veto pen" and
block all pork barrel spending bills that Congress sends him.
While the debate was held in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, the Michigan
primary will be held first, a contest in which Romney, Huckabee and McCain
are the principal antagonists. It's unlikely all of them can survive a
defeat there, particularly a third-place finish.
South Carolina's primary is scheduled for Jan. 19, and drawn a different
group of competitors. Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee has made it
clear he needs a victory or something close to it, while McCain and Huckabee
also are counting on a strong showing. Romney abruptly canceled television
advertising in the state earlier this week, and is concentrating for the
moment on Michigan.
Thompson underscored the urgency of a strong South Carolina showing when he
launched an attack on Huckabee, standing a few feet away on the debate
stage.
"This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party and its
future. On the one hand you have the Reagan Revolution ... on the other hand
you have the direction that Governor Huckabee would take us ... liberal
economic policies, liberal foreign policies," he said.
Huckabee seemed unruffled. "The Air Force has a saying that if you're not
catching flak you're not over the target. I'm catching the flak. I must be
over the target," he said. He added he had cut taxes as governor of Arkansas
and was re-elected by his constituents, a sure sign, he added, that they
were pleased with his performance.
The debate was sponsored by the South Carolina Republican Party and Fox News
Channel, and opened with a country music touch _ a rousing rendition of The
Star-Spangled Banner by Calvin Gilmore.
Asked about last weekend's Persian Gulf incident in which Iranian speed
boats harassed U.S. warships, none of the presidential rivals found fault
with U.S. naval commanders on the scene.
But several took the opportunity to stress their determination to take
stronger steps against Iran in the future.
"I think one more step, you know, and they would have been introduced to
those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing," said Thompson.
Huckabee said if it happened again, the Iranians "should be prepared to see
the gates of Hell."
McCain, the only candidate with experience in the Navy, refused to second
guess the actions of the commander of all the battle groups.
"I believe Iran represents a very serious threat," said Romney. He added he
believes the incident was a calculated one to test U.S. defensive responses
and was a "diversionary action ... It points out that we have in Iran a very
troubled nation," he added.
Romney drew mixed boos and applause from the audience when he criticized
Paul for saying the United States must avoid another war.
Romney said Paul had been reading "too many press releases by (Mahmoud)
Ahmadinejad" the Iranian president.
"Make fun buddy," muttered a clearly irritated Paul.
The economy dominated the first portion of the debate, reflecting increased
concern that a recession may be in the offing. Ben Bernanke, chairman of the
Federal Reserve, issued an unusually plainspoken pledge during the day to do
what he could to keep the economy expanding despite a threat posed by a
mortgage crisis and other factors.
Unemployment rose to 5 percent last month after the biggest one-month gain
since 2001. In South Carolina, it was 5.9 percent in November; in Michigan,
it was 7.4 percent.
Thompson, who advocates a cut in corporate taxes, also said "we need to
count on the Federal Reserve doing the right thing on interest rates" to
keep the economy from tumbling into recession. He also said tax cuts enacted
in recent years should be extended.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani also advocated tax cuts, and his
campaign purchased an advertisement during the first commercial break that
said he would send the largest tax cut in history to Congress on his first
day in the White House.
Alone of the six presidential rivals on the debate stage, Paul said, "I
believe we are in a recession. I believe it's going to get a lot worse."
The first three contests of the Republican campaign have yielded three
different winners: Huckabee, first in the leadoff Iowa caucuses; Romney,
victor in the little-contested Wyoming caucuses, and McCain, triumphant in
last Tuesday's fiercely fought New Hampshire primary.
The debate unfolded as one poll showed McCain getting a bounce from his New
Hampshire triumph and moving narrowly ahead of Huckabee and Romney in South
Carolina.
GOP Rivals Back Tax, Spending Cuts in SC
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Republican presidential rivals backed a blend of tax and spending cuts
Thursday night to head off an election-year recession they generally agreed
is avoidable. "We should reduce taxes on middle-income Americans
immediately," former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said in a debate in the
run-up to presidential primaries in Michigan and South Carolina, two states
where unemployment exceeds the national average.
"The first thing is not to raise taxes," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike
Huckabee. "Cut the marginal tax rate, if anything, and eventually go to a
fair tax," he added, referring to his plan for a national sales tax to
replace the income tax.
Arizona Sen. John McCain stressed spending cuts to get the budget deficit
under control, although he also said it was important not to let Bush
administration-era tax cuts expire. He pledged to "wield the veto pen" and
block all pork barrel spending bills that Congress sends him.
While the debate was held in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, the Michigan
primary will be held first, a contest in which Romney, Huckabee and McCain
are the principal antagonists. It's unlikely all of them can survive a
defeat there, particularly a third-place finish.
South Carolina's primary is scheduled for Jan. 19, and drawn a different
group of competitors. Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee has made it
clear he needs a victory or something close to it, while McCain and Huckabee
also are counting on a strong showing. Romney abruptly canceled television
advertising in the state earlier this week, and is concentrating for the
moment on Michigan.
Thompson underscored the urgency of a strong South Carolina showing when he
launched an attack on Huckabee, standing a few feet away on the debate
stage.
"This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party and its
future. On the one hand you have the Reagan Revolution ... on the other hand
you have the direction that Governor Huckabee would take us ... liberal
economic policies, liberal foreign policies," he said.
Huckabee seemed unruffled. "The Air Force has a saying that if you're not
catching flak you're not over the target. I'm catching the flak. I must be
over the target," he said. He added he had cut taxes as governor of Arkansas
and was re-elected by his constituents, a sure sign, he added, that they
were pleased with his performance.
The debate was sponsored by the South Carolina Republican Party and Fox News
Channel, and opened with a country music touch _ a rousing rendition of The
Star-Spangled Banner by Calvin Gilmore.
Asked about last weekend's Persian Gulf incident in which Iranian speed
boats harassed U.S. warships, none of the presidential rivals found fault
with U.S. naval commanders on the scene.
But several took the opportunity to stress their determination to take
stronger steps against Iran in the future.
"I think one more step, you know, and they would have been introduced to
those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing," said Thompson.
Huckabee said if it happened again, the Iranians "should be prepared to see
the gates of Hell."
McCain, the only candidate with experience in the Navy, refused to second
guess the actions of the commander of all the battle groups.
"I believe Iran represents a very serious threat," said Romney. He added he
believes the incident was a calculated one to test U.S. defensive responses
and was a "diversionary action ... It points out that we have in Iran a very
troubled nation," he added.
Romney drew mixed boos and applause from the audience when he criticized
Paul for saying the United States must avoid another war.
Romney said Paul had been reading "too many press releases by (Mahmoud)
Ahmadinejad" the Iranian president.
"Make fun buddy," muttered a clearly irritated Paul.
The economy dominated the first portion of the debate, reflecting increased
concern that a recession may be in the offing. Ben Bernanke, chairman of the
Federal Reserve, issued an unusually plainspoken pledge during the day to do
what he could to keep the economy expanding despite a threat posed by a
mortgage crisis and other factors.
Unemployment rose to 5 percent last month after the biggest one-month gain
since 2001. In South Carolina, it was 5.9 percent in November; in Michigan,
it was 7.4 percent.
Thompson, who advocates a cut in corporate taxes, also said "we need to
count on the Federal Reserve doing the right thing on interest rates" to
keep the economy from tumbling into recession. He also said tax cuts enacted
in recent years should be extended.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani also advocated tax cuts, and his
campaign purchased an advertisement during the first commercial break that
said he would send the largest tax cut in history to Congress on his first
day in the White House.
Alone of the six presidential rivals on the debate stage, Paul said, "I
believe we are in a recession. I believe it's going to get a lot worse."
The first three contests of the Republican campaign have yielded three
different winners: Huckabee, first in the leadoff Iowa caucuses; Romney,
victor in the little-contested Wyoming caucuses, and McCain, triumphant in
last Tuesday's fiercely fought New Hampshire primary.
The debate unfolded as one poll showed McCain getting a bounce from his New
Hampshire triumph and moving narrowly ahead of Huckabee and Romney in South
Carolina.
