Before the Tuesday night speech, conservative stalwarts like Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform joined trade associations like the Food Marketing Institute in promoting the Bush plan. It's 20 years later, and we're not going to make the same mistake again. The national debt quadrupled. High interest rates choked American industries. Despite his disdain for old arguments, President Bush's success with Congress may depend on how the public responds to a revival of the Reagan vs. Mondale tax debate.
Republicans are confident.
Liberal opposition is about the desire for a massive increase in spending. Congressman Ryan agreed. What the critics want is the current spending growth rate of 8 percent or more. That will mean no tax cut, no surplus, no paying down the debt, and no fixes for Social Security and Medicare. Energy demand is up 17 percent this winter, and the price of natural gas is up 350 percent.