Bush Not Interested In National Sales Tax After All, Says White House

by Leroy Baker, Tax-News.com, New York

13 August 2004

White House officials attempted to backtrack from comments made by President George W. Bush on the campaign trail this week relating to a national sales tax.

"The president has always believed in lower taxes and a simpler, fairer tax code. There's nothing more to announce at this time," stated White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

Administration officials have since confirmed that the President is not considering a national sales tax as a policy initiative for a second term, according to reports.

Mr Bush’s spin doctors were forced into action following remarks made by the President to a Republican supporter at an ‘Ask the President’ question and answer session in Florida on Tuesday, when he noted that replacing the current income tax system with a national sales tax was “the kind of interesting idea that we ought to explore seriously."

Bush’s words also supplied some ammunition to his Democratic opponent in the Presidential race, John Kerry, who responded to the idea by saying: "Families already squeezed by rising health care costs, gas costs and college costs would have to carry a whole new tax burden."

Recommended