Democrats Not Shying Away From Tax Debate

As this New York Times article points out, Democrats are not shying away from pointing out that it is time to undo the damage done by Bush's reckless tax cuts. What they are proposing is a ceiling on the Bush tax cuts so that they are not extended in 2010 for the richest Americans.

f you remember, in 2001 and in 2003, to make it look like they weren't blowing a big hole in the Federal Budget, the Republicans put a sun-set clause in their tax cuts. What this means is that most of them expire in 2010. Since that year is only three years away, much of the debate in the 2008 presidential campaign will be about the fate of those tax cuts.

The Republicans will try and paint the Democrats as standing for massive tax increases. The reality is, of course, something different since the expiration of the tax cuts in 2010 would just restore the tax rates that existed when Bubble-Boy took office. There is a suggestion from the head of a liberal advocacy group that the Republicans have put the Democrats in a box. This is because if they leave the tax cuts in place they will less money to confront the problems caused by the retirement of baby-boomers and the impact on Social Security and Medicare. If they do away with the tax cuts, they get painted as tax and spend liberals.

The solution is to do what they are doing and confront the Republicans head on. Point out that it is time to undo the damage of tax cuts that benefit the middle class. Be bold and stand for something besides just getting elected. This seems to be exactly what they are doing.