George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, east and
west, north and south, can propser and live in harmony. [fn 49]
During August and September, Bush's Gulf offensive had allowed him to dominate the
headlines and news broadcasts with bellicose posturing and saber-rattling in the crisis
which he had assiduously helped to create. Now, during October, the awesome economic
depression produced by the bipartisan economic policies of the Eastern Liberal
Establishment over a quarter-century re-asserted its presence with all the explosive force
of reality long denied.
All during August and September, the haggling had continued between Bush and the
Congressional leadership about how optimally to inflict more drastic austerity on the
American people. The haggling had recessed in August, but had resumed in great secrecy
on September 7, with the elite group of participants sequestered from the world at a
military air base near Washington. The haggling proceeded slowly, and key budget
deadlines built into the Gramm-Rudman calendar began to slip by: September 10,
September 15, and September 25 were missed. It was now apparent that the final deadline
posed for the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1 could not be met; there was a
danger of a Gramm-Rudman "train wreck" or automatic, across the board sequester of
budget spending authority. On September 30, Bush and the elite Congressional
summiteers appeared in a Rose Garden ceremony to announce a five-year, $500 billion
deficit reduction package, allegedly featuring $40 billion in deficit reduction during the
first year, to be submitted to Congress for rubber-stamping. This plan contained higher
taxes on gasoline, cigarettes, liquor, luxury items, plus savage cuts on defense, Medicare
for the elderly, and farm payments. It was unsweetened by Bush's favorite nostrum for
fatcats, a cut in the capital gains tax. Tax deductions were limited for the most wealthy.
George, squirming under warnings from all sides, but especially the GOP right wing, that
this deal codified his infamous betrayal of June 26, tried to be a little contrite:
Sometimes you don't get it the way you want, and this is such a time for me. And I
suspect it's such a time for everybody standing here. But it's time we put the interests of
the United States of America here and get this deficit under control.
Bush called the package "balanced" and "fair." "Now comes the hard part," said Mitchell,
referring to the irritating formality of Congressional passage. Believing the assurances of
Mitchell and Foley, Dole and Michel that the resulting deal could be passed, Bush signed
a continuing resolution to keep the government going from October 1 until October 5,
while also avoiding the Gramm-Rudman guillotine.
On October 2, at the urging of the Congressional leaders, Bush made one of his rare
televised addresses to the nation from the Oval Office. According to one observer,
"Bush's TV address on the budget was the most listless presidential appeal since Carter's
'malaise' speech." [fn 50] Bush's tones had a pinch of the apocalypse" "If we fail to enact
this agreement, our economy will falter, markets may tumble, and recession will follow.
Tell your congressmen and senators you support this deficit-reduction agreement. If they
are Republicans, urge them to stand with the president. If they are Democrats, urge them