Tuesday, April 7, 2009 | 2:04 a.m.
George H.W. Bush, our 41st president, was vilified for most of his four years as president by the majority of the news media.
The main reason: He did not live up to his pledge: “Read my lips — no new taxes.” This statement was made when he was campaigning for president.
Do we not have a similar incident brewing? President Barack Obama said on Sept. 12 when campaigning for the presidency: “I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes.” He also said, “You will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime.”
Has not President Obama, out of necessity, broken his promise by recently signing a bill raising the federal tax on cigarettes by more than 60 cents a pack? Pray tell, who consumes the lion’s share of cigarettes? It is people who make far less than $250,000 per year.
Since when is a tax increase not a tax increase? To keep our nation afloat financially, President Obama will have to break his promise, many times over, by increasing taxes on all citizens. He may, being who he is, attempt to call increases levies, not tax increases, but we will know differently and will feel the pain.
Let’s see how the news media treat President Obama on his backing down on his taxation pledge. Will they continue their double-standard reporting or do what is morally right?
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