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Show ( rs CAPITOL jlU WATCHDOG Brail y B Bill llrndrix Two term Reagan or tax cut Reagan Tax cutting strategy, in the past, has been inseparably connected to election years. Politicians begin 18 months, or so, before election time to posture themselves in favor of a tax cut: In this off-election year, however, the President has done the unthinkable -proposed a tax cut. And Washington, D. C. doesn't quite know how to handle it, because President Reagan can't seek re-election for three more years. As a result, most people would conclude that maybe this tax cut isn't just campaign rhetoric; that maybe this President really thinks we need a tax cut. But not the Eastern media. They're convinced the President is ready to run for a second term. In fact in the President's most recent news conference con-ference one of the reporters confronted the Chief Executive with the question of a re-election bid, and then followed-up with more probing. The President artfully danced away from the question with a standard answer, "It's too early to make that decision, but you'll (the reporter) be one of the first to know." There is, however, much more to this early questioning of a second term. If this popular president runs for a second time, remains healthy, and is reelected, re-elected, he will have more time to implement much of the legislation which his staff has sent to Capitol Hill. If. on the other hand, he's only in the White House for one term, his opponents op-ponents may be able to stall, hoping for a new president after the election. If all boils down to "lame duck" labeling. Momentum for budget and tax-cuts would be severly slowed if Congressional democrats, many pressured into submission by presidential popularity, thought Reagan wasn't going to be around that long. Even the conservative Washington newsletter writers are suggesting that second term talk is being generated bv White House guaranteed passage of the tax-cut package and also frightened potential presidential candidates eyeing the 1984 race. It seems no one is willing to accept the reality that we need a tax cut to stimulate the economy and stop inflation. in-flation. A fact that President John Kennedy recognized nearly 20 years ago when he pushed an across-the-board tax cut through Congress. The Reagan plan and the Roth-Kemp plan are very similar and have been sent to Congress for emergency action. Ask any businessman, rancher or housewife; it's time for a tax cut and much less cynicism. |