national sales tax

[jgruber]

Does this demonstrate he as a C level of understanding?

with a business degree, bush has no excuse for not understanding the regressive nature of a sales tax... just proves his ignorance on matters of substance.

You have to wonder why the president has to be corrected by anonymous staffers.

I think you're being coy.

No, just polite.  What I wanted to say is that it is pathetic that our president has to be corrected by staffers and that the staffers have to be anonymous.

Why didn't the president correct the impression he left?  It's not hard.  Something like "It is an interesting idea, but greater study and consideration is necessary before such a concept can be considered for national policy."

Are these people his staff or are they his handlers?

[jgruber]

I'm saying he doesn't understand it.  His comments demonstrate it and his handlers' reaction demonstrate it.

And that is my opinion.

Who said Bush didn't understand the regressive nature of the sales tax?

He may have spoken where his party/insiders didn't want him to, but that is no sign of a lack of understanding of the tax system.

[Bisquick]

I think that is more of a lack of understanding of the party stance, not of the tax, personally.

[jgruber]

You're probably right, but isn't he the leader of the party?  NG

I think that is more of a lack of understanding of the party stance, not of the tax, personally.

[lawyerboy]

The Republican Party is deeply divided on tax reform proposals. Some want a National Sales Tax, others want a Value Added Tax (like in England) while others want a Flat Tax. Still others want to reform the tax code to get rid of the loopholes. There really isn't much agreement other than the current system is screwed up and penalizes people who play by the rules.

[jgruber]

So dubya didn't really misspeak.  He just spoke out of turn?

The Republican Party is deeply divided on tax reform proposals. Some want a National Sales Tax, others want a Value Added Tax (like in England) while others want a Flat Tax. Still others want to reform the tax code to get rid of the loopholes. There really isn't much agreement other than the current system is screwed up and penalizes people who play by the rules.

[lawyerboy]

There is absolutely no clear consensus within the party on the tax reform issue. There will be a bit of a party platform fight about this at the convention I predict.

[jgruber]

There is absolutely no clear consensus within the party on the tax reform issue. There will be a bit of a party platform fight about this at the convention I predict.

This belies the image of Bush as a strong leader.

[lawyerboy]

No one really has all of the answers to tax reform. It's a difficult subject that the country has been trying to deal with for years upon years. I don't think that a lack of unity on this issue is Bush's fault. There are many different economic theoretical philosophies held within the Republican Party.

[jgruber]

It may or may not be Bush's fault, but it does mock his stance of strong leadership.

No one really has all of the answers to tax reform. It's a difficult subject that the country has been trying to deal with for years upon years. I don't think that a lack of unity on this issue is Bush's fault. There are many different economic theoretical philosophies held within the Republican Party.