A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion

October 15, 2004 | Print Now

Bush Misleads on Tax Cuts



At Wednesday's debate President Bush said most of his tax cuts "went to low- and middle-income Americans."1 That statement is flatly false.

An analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that, in 2004, the top 20 percent of earners received 69.8% of the tax cuts enacted by President Bush.2 While the middle 20 percent of earners received an average tax cut of $647, the top 20 percent received an average tax cut of $5,055.3 As a result, those in the middle class are paying a greater share of the federal taxes today than they were four years ago.4

Sources:
  1. "Transcript of Debate Between Bush and Kerry, With Domestic Policy the Topic," New York Times, 10/13/04.
  2. "Tax Returns: A Comprehensive Assessment of the Bush Administration Tax Cuts," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 04/04.
  3. Ibid.
  4. "Tax Cuts Go Mostly to the Rich," OMB Watch, 2004.