Bush Pushes Tax Cut Plan

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 3 -- Pursuing Democratic support, President Bushlaid out his case today for a $1.6 trillion tax cut, sayingit will restore a limping economy and offer relief to everytaxpayer.

"The economic news these days is troubling — rising energy prices, layoffs, falling consumer confidence," Bush said in thesecond radio address of his presidency. "This is not a time forgovernment to be taking more money than it needs away from thepeople who buy goods and create jobs."

Bush, who spent much of the weekend at the Camp Davidpresidential retreat in western Maryland, planned to carry thatmessage to House Democrats in person on Sunday as they gather inPennsylvania at their annual policy meeting. Senate Democrats gotthe Bush treatment on Friday in their own separate gathering at theLibrary of Congress.

Many Democrats Support Some Sort of Tax Cut

Following through on campaign pledges, the president plans tomake his pitch this week, his third in office, for his 10-year taxcut.

Many Democrats appeared edging toward an endorsement of a taxcut, while others warned of indulging in "a tax cut binge."

"Democrats agree with President Bush, the American peopledeserve a tax cut; we strongly support a major tax cut this year,"Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle said in the party's radioaddress today.

"The tax cut must be affordable — and responsible," saidDaschle, D-S.D. "It can't use up money we need for education,prescription drugs and other necessities."

Daschle emphasized that while Democrats believe that alltaxpayers should get tax relief, "working families should comefirst," not the wealthy. He said Bush's tax-cut plan"shortchanges working families," with 43 percent of the cutsgoing to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

Some Democrats Warn of 'Tax Cut Binge'

The Democratic Leadership Council, the voice of centrist "NewDemocrats," advised sticking with what it called the successfuleconomic formula of the Clinton administration.