Bush Pushes Tax Cut at ECU

Thousands turned out at East Carolina University's Minges Coliseum to greet the president, waving miniature American flags, chanting "Dubya" and holding up three fingers -- forming a "W" sign.

Before Bush began his speech, he thanked Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., and Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., for inviting him to North Carolina.

Bush recently began touring the nation, trying to build support for his tax-cut plan. Both Helms and Jones supported Bush's tax-cut plan when it reached Capitol Hill.

The plan was passed by the House, but Senate Democrats were able to reduce it by about $450 billion to $1.15 trillion, channeling the extra money to Social Security and education.

The tax-cut plan will remain stuck in a bicameral conference committee until both houses reach a compromise.

"Either way we cut it, tax relief is on the way," Bush said, vowing to meet his campaign promise to slash taxes.

As he had many times on the campaign trail last fall, Bush told the emotionally charged crowd that the federal budget belonged to them, not politicians. "We're not spending the government's money," Bush said. "We're spending the people's money."

Bush said his tax-cut and budget proposals were linked together and that it was possible to slash taxes while continuing to provide a high level of government programs.

He also attacked critics who claim his budget eliminates vital projects by saying that his proposal increases the discretionary fund about 4 percent.

"Many of you work hard and get along without 4 percent salary increases," Bush said. "Isn't it reasonable to ask the government to live with that much?"

Bush said his budget would increase funding for N.C. education programs to $947 million, while funding for Head Start and Medicare would see similar hikes. "We're going to spend a 100 billion additional dollars next year," he said. "And we can still have meaningful tax cuts."

Bush outlined the major parts of his tax-cut proposal, including eliminating the estate and marriage taxes and reducing income rates across the board.

He said there were two primary reasons for the tax cut -- to boost the economy and to help families.

"(The economy) is slowing down a little bit," he said. "One way to jump-start it is to give people their own money back so they can spend it."

He added that it was necessary to balance the tax cuts by cutting some government programs.

One program on the block would provide N.C. State University with funding to research feasible alternatives to hog lagoons, which store waste. Bush justified the choice to cut such programs by asking the crowd who could best manage the money. "Who do we trust with money," he asked. "Do we trust the government or the people?" The crowd roared out "people," as Bush grinned.

Members of the audience were a very vocal part of Bush's speech, breaking into chants of "U.S.A." Bush was interrupted several times by audience members screaming out "We love you, Dubya."

Bush played along with the mood, cracking several jokes to the crowd's delight. But they briefly booed Bush when the president mistakenly started to say "Greenville, South ..." before catching himself.

Bush quickly recovered, turning to a theme from his inaugural address -- public service. "The government can't make people love people," he said. "We ought to trust the people of America to provide the compassion needed to fulfill the hopes of everyone who's lucky enough to be an American citizen."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.