LTE: Taxing and spending

Regarding "A profile in courage" (Page B8, Sunday), former Mayor Bill White's encomium to President George H.W. Bush illustrates yet again the talent of prominent Democrats such as himself to make something ugly sound virtuous, in this case, President Bush's embrace of the Democratic policy known as tax and spend.

In White's words, Bush was courageous for violating his promise of No New Taxes from the 1988 campaign. He also spoke highly of Bush's effort to restore balance between spending and taxation in approving the tax increases. This last phrase is as pretty a way of saying that he caved to the berserk federal spending that characterized every administration in the previous quarter century.

Sadly, for all the concessions that Bush made, there were no reductions in spending, and the higher tax rates he implemented put tax and spend back on track. The inevitable result was our $17 trillion deficit and the out-of-control spending of the Obama administration. That deficit is as much a legacy of Republican "pragmatists" like George H.W. Bush as it is Democratic tax and spenders.

Pete Smith, Cypress

http://www.chron.com/opinion/letters/article/Wednesday-letters-Bill-White-racial-politics-5422388.php

Original:
 
Regarding "A profile in courage" (Sunday Outlook), Mayor Bill White's encomium to President George HW Bush illustrates yet again the talent of prominent Democrats such as himself to make something ugly sound virtuous, in this case, President Bush's embracement of the Democrat policy known as Tax and Spend.
 
In White's words, Bush was "courageous" for violating his No New Taxes promise from the 1988 campaign.  He also spoke highly of "Bush’s effort to restore balance between spending and taxation" in approving the gigantic tax increases that were the legacy of his single term.  This last phrase is as pretty a way of saying that he caved to the berserk federal spending that characterized every administration in the previous quarter century.
 
It is also more than a little ironic that it took White so long to so praise Bush.  When "41" ran for re-election in 1992, Democrat candidates beat him like a rented mule for violating his "no new taxes" pledge from the 1988 campaign, and Bush was trounced by Bill Clinton.  White was notably silent back then.  I wonder why?

Sadyly, for all the concessions that Bush made, there were no reductions in spending, and the higher tax rates he implemented put Tax and Spend back on track.  The inevitable result was our 17 Trillion dollar deficit and the out of control spending of the Obama administration. 
 
That deficit is as much a legacy of Republican "pragmatists" like George HW Bush as it is Democrat Tax and Spenders, and it would be refreshing if just once folks like Bill White would say so, in plain English.  Not that I'm holding my breath waiting for that to happen.

Pete Smith
Cypress, TX