Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is one of many Republicans looking to push back against President Obama proposal to raise taxes, but he may have a tough time making his case.
“It’s unfortunate President Obama wants to use the tax code to divide us — instead of proposing reforms to create economic opportunity for every American,” Bush said in a statement after Obama proposed a range of tax hikes is his State of the Union address this week. “We can do better.”
Tax reform promises to be a key point of discussion, and likely of disagreement, among Democrats and Republicans during the next two years.
But the issue of taxation has not always been a political winner for Bush. Indeed, it has dogged Bush before and could give him further headaches in a Republican primary.
Although Bush lowered taxes during his tenure as governor, he never signed Americans For Tax Reform founder Grover Norquist’s pledge not to raise taxes, and he has spoken about his willingness to raise taxes he deems necessary.
Bush explained the decision during his testimony to the House Budget Committee in 2012.
“I ran for office three times. The pledge was presented to me three times. I never signed the pledge,” Bush said. “I cut taxes every year I was governor. I don’t believe you outsource your principles and convictions to people.”
But at the same hearing, Bush expressed openness to tax increases coupled with spending cuts. “If you could bring to me a majority of people to say that we’re going to have $10 of spending cuts for $1 of revenue enhancement, put me in, Coach,” Bush said at the time.
That’s a nonstarter for many conservatives who point to the “mixed” approach’s very poor history of reducing deficits, in the United States and around the world. In nearly all cases, tax hikes materialize but spending does not go down as promised or even increases.
In a general election, Bush could present himself as a rational and reasonable leader. But, in a competitive primary, the issue presents a serious challenge for Bush.
Norquist, who remains influential in conservative circles, expressed disappointment in Bush for not signing the pledge during a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.
“Republicans were all holding out on not raising taxes, and he was a guy from Florida, a former, washed-up politician from Florida not involved in that fight … and he jumps in says, ‘I’d raise taxes,’” Norquist told the Wall Street Journal recently. “You’re either part of the team and you want to be leader of the team, or you want to be something else.”
But Bush might be wary of taking a hardline stance on the issue because of his family history with tax policy.
During the 1988 presidential election, George H.W. Bush hoped to shore up support among conservatives with such a no-taxes pledge, immortalized in the phrase: “Read my lips: No new taxes,” which he uttered during his speech to the Republican National Convention.
When George H.W. Bush ultimately did raise taxes, his political career was kaput.
