2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Ronald Reagan 1984 Morning In America TV Ad "Prouder, Stronger, Better "

Steve Forbes 1996 On The Issues: The Flat Tax

Steve Forbes on The Flat Tax and How Much Your Family Saves:

America needs to take a new road, one toward an expansion future that is bigger and better than our past. That's why I'm proposing today, and will be talking about throughout my campaign, a liberation movement to take power away from Washington and put it in the hands of the people. A "Boston Tea Party," if you will, that puts an end to the taxing and spending party in Washington, DC. I mean to free the mighty American economy from political repression.

The first element is dramatic pro-growth tax cuts.

I'm not talking "revenue neutral" fiddling with the tax code, the usual game in Washington that pretends to cut some taxes while raising others. And I'm not talking about fiddling around the "margins" cutting taxes that only help the well-to-do.

I am talking about across-the-board tax cuts that are deep and wide and permanent, that reach down to all Americans and get the suffocating weight of the IRS off their backs.

Start by scrapping the tax code. Don't fiddle with it. Junk it. Throw it out. Bury it. Replace it with a pro-growth, pro-family tax cut that lowers tax rates to 17% across the board and expands exemptions for individuals and children so that a family of four would pay no taxes on the first $36,000 of income.

Not one cent to the IRS on the first $36,000. Anything over that would be taxed at a flat, fair 17%.

The flat tax would be simple. You could fill it out on a postcard. It would be honest. It would eliminate the principal source of political corruption in Washington. It would be fair. Millions of people would be off the federal income tax rolls.

There would be no tax on Social Security. No tax on pensions. No tax on personal savings. It would zero out capital gains taxes. It would set off a boom by letting people keep more of what they earn and by lowering barriers to risk taking.

I will underline here this distinction between my proposal and those floated by other candidates in this political season:

I am straightforwardly calling for a tax cut to expand the economy and make everyone better off.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We need dramatic, pro-growth tax cuts -- tax cuts that are deep, wide and permanent, that reach down to all American families and businesses -- especially small businesses -- and get the suffocating weight of the IRS off our backs.

Start by scrapping the tax code. Don't fiddle with it. Throw it out. Put as many IRS bureaucrats as possible into job retraining.

Replace it with a flat tax that is a tax cut -- a pro-growth, pro-family tax cut that lowers tax rates to 17 per cent across the board and expands exemptions for individuals and children so that a family of four would pay no taxes on the first $36,000 of income.

Not one cent to the IRS on the first $36,000 of income. Anything more than that would be taxed at a flat, fair 17 per cent.

This would mean that families living at the median household income would pay practically nothing to Uncle Sam in taxes.

The flat tax would be so simple, you could fill it out on a post card. A post card that would say, in effect, having a wonderful time; glad most of my money is here.

It would be honest. It would eliminate the principal source of political corruption in Washington -- trading loopholes for campaign cash. It would be fair. Millions of people would be off the tax rolls.

There would be no tax on Social Security. No tax on pensions. No tax on personal savings. For the sake of small businesses and entrepreneurs, it would zero out capital gains. For Mom-and-Pop stores, and everyone else, it would eliminate estate taxes.

Let me underline this difference between my proposal and others: I am straight forwardly calling for a tax cut to expand our economy and make everyone better off.

Since 1970 -- in just 25 years -- Washington spending has increased more than seven fold.

During those same years, family income in America has declined.

But the politicians say "we" can't afford a tax cut. Maybe we can't afford the politicians.

I say it's time that we cut government's income and raise our families' incomes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

America has the potential for the greatest economic boom and spiritual renewal in our history. But we're being held back by Washington politics as usual. It's time we move forward. Start with a low flat tax, put term limits on politicians and restore control of our schools to parents. Let's return opportunity to all Americans. Do that and our best days are ahead.

Steve Forbes on Tax Cuts:

As President, the 17% flat tax will be only the beginning. I will continue to cut taxes from the bottom up, expanding family exemptions dollar for dollar for every cut in the budget. That will make it dramatic for all America to see that every dollar Congress chooses to spend on a pet project is coming right out of America's families pockets.

So I want not only a flat tax, but a flat tax that is a tax cut. And let me caution my party that we must be aware of the 'ER' candidates: those who put the letters 'er' at the end of every word, like "I want a tax that's flatter, fairer, simpler." The 'ER' candidates will end up putting our country in the Emergency Room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small businesses are entrepreneurs with a dream...from high-tech start-ups on the cutting edge of discovery to Mom-and-Pop stores that bind our communities together. They are, in fact, over 90 per cent of all businesses in the U.S., with a combined economic output greater than Germany or France or the United Kingdom.

Yet to Washington, small business is just a big pocket to be picked -- a source of revenue, an easy mark to be squeezed for every last tax dollar or mandated and regulated into extinction.

I believe small businesses should be growing larger, not the bureaucracy that regulates you.

But that's the "culture of Washington." You can see it in the very words used. Have you noticed how the Democrats and so-called "moderate" Republicans in Congress say things like "We can't afford a tax cut," "We can't afford a loss of revenue." It's revealing how completely they identify themselves with the government -- and against the people. The government, if it's to grow ever bigger and more powerful, is never going to be able to afford a tax cut.

But I'll tell you this, the American people cannot afford that kind of government.

We cannot afford NOT to cut taxes.

I'm not talking about "revenue neutral" tinkering with the tax code, the usual shell game in Washington that pretends to cut some taxes while raising others. I'm not talking about marginal tax cuts that help only the well-to-do, or even the $500 tax credit being fought over so hard these days, which, even if it passes, will be a mere drop in the bucket of what is needed for future growth and prosperity.

We need dramatic, pro-growth tax cuts -- tax cuts that are deep, wide and permanent, that reach down to all American families and businesses -- especially small businesses -- and get the suffocating weight of the IRS off our backs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

America needs to take a new road, one toward an expansion future that is bigger and better than our past. That's why I'm proposing today, and will be talking about throughout my campaign, a liberation movement to take power away from Washington and put it in the hands of the people. A "Boston Tea Party," if you will, that puts an end to the taxing and spending party in Washington, DC. I mean to free the mighty American economy from political repression.

The first element is dramatic pro-growth tax cuts.

I'm not talking "revenue neutral" fiddling with the tax code, the usual game in Washington that pretends to cut some taxes while raising others. And I'm not talking about fiddling around the "margins" cutting taxes that only help the well-to-do.

I am talking about across-the-board tax cuts that are deep and wide and permanent, that reach down to all Americans and get the suffocating weight of the IRS off their backs.

Start by scrapping the tax code. Don't fiddle with it. Junk it. Throw it out. Bury it. Replace it with a pro-growth, pro-family tax cut that lowers tax rates to 17% across the board and expands exemptions for individuals and children so that a family of four would pay no taxes on the first $36,000 of income.

Not one cent to the IRS on the first $36,000. Anything over that would be taxed at a flat, fair 17%.

The flat tax would be simple. You could fill it out on a postcard. It would be honest. It would eliminate the principal source of political corruption in Washington. It would be fair. Millions of people would be off the federal income tax rolls.

There would be no tax on Social Security. No tax on pensions. No tax on personal savings. It would zero out capital gains taxes. It would set off a boom by letting people keep more of what they earn and by lowering barriers to risk taking.

I will underline here this distinction between my proposal and those floated by other candidates in this political season:

I am straightforwardly calling for a tax cut to expand the economy and make everyone better off.

George Bush 1980 TV Ads From The 1979 Ames Iowa Straw Poll

DFL Honors Hubert Humphrey on 100th Anniversary of His Birth

DFL Honors Hubert Humphrey on 100th Anniversary of His Birth

Party founder was a progressive leader, civil rights activist, champion of programs that still help so many Minnesotans today

St. Paul (May 27, 2011) — Today is the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Hubert H. Humphrey. State DFL Chair Ken Martin released this statement:

“Hubert H. Humphrey was relentless supporter of progressive ideals, who pushed our state and nation forward on civil rights and was a champion of the government programs that so many Americans depend on today.

“The DFL Party exists because of Hubert Humphrey. As a professor more than 50 years ago, he joined the Democratic and Farmer–Labor parties and united people around our state under the common values of community, opportunity and fairness for all people. He united us all around the idea that our party is the party working to create a better life for Americans.

“Hubert Humphrey pushed us all, and especially Democrats, to lead on civil rights, to look out for our nation’s elderly, poor and most vulnerable, and to stand up for the progressive ideals that ensure that we all do better when we all do better.

“So today, we honor our state’s leader and our country’s ‘happy warrior’ for his lifetime of service to our party, our state, and our nation. We owe him a great deal of gratitude and we are proud to honor him every day, but especially on the 100th anniversary of his birth.”

Added Senator Ernest F. Hollings 1984 Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech, April 18, 1983

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT
SENATOR ERNEST F. HOLLINGS
APRIL 18, 1983

"In the coming campaign, I will remain true to certain basic, underlying values: a love of diversity and free discourse; a belief that people learn from history; a faith in the inevitability of progress; a conviction that the true civilized nation reduces the gap between its poorest and its wealthiest members; and an insistence that honesty, compassion, and fairness have a secure place in American politics."

http://www.4president.org/speeches/1984/ernesthollings1984announcement.htm

Walter Mondale And Geraldine Ferraro At The 20th Reunion Of The 1984 Campaign, March 10, 2004

Presidential Campaign Announcements By Days Of The Week And Dates 1960 To 2008

25 Mondays

23 Tuesdays

13 Wednesdays

13 Thursdays

5 Fridays

9 Saturdays

2 Sundays

January 14

Feb 14

March 10

April 11

May 5

June 4

July None

August

September 16

October 5

November 7

December 5

John F. Kennedy Saturday, January 2, 1960

Barry Goldwater Friday, January 3, 1964

Eugene McCarthy Thursday, November 30, 1967
Hubert H. Humphrey Saturday, April 27, 1968
Robert F. Kennedy Saturday, March 16, 1968
Richard Nixon Wednesday, January 31, 1968
George Romney Saturday, November 18, 1967

George McGovern Monday, January 18, 1971
Edmund Muskie Tuesday, January 4, 1972
Hubert H. Humphrey Monday, January 10, 1972
Wilbur Mills Tuesday, February 8, 1972
Fred Harris Friday, September 24, 1971
Sam Yorty Tuesday, November 16, 1971
Shirley Chisholm Tuesday, January 25, 1972

Jimmy Carter Thursday, December 12, 1974
Fred Harris Saturday, January 11, 1975
Sargent Shriver Saturday, September 20, 1975
Frank Church Thursday, March 18, 1976
Terry Sanford Monday, May 19, 1975
Lloyd Bentsen Monday, February 17, 1975
Birch Bayh Tuesday, October 21, 1975

Ronald Reagan Tuesday, November 13, 1979
George Bush Tuesday, May 1, 1979
Howard Baker Thursday, November 1, 1979
Bob Dole Monday, May 14, 1979

Walter Mondale Monday, February 21, 1983
Gary Hart Thursday, February 17, 1983
Ernest Hollings Monday, April 18, 1983
Jesse Jackson Monday, January 16, 1984
Reubin Askew Wednesday, February 23, 1983
Alan Cranston Wednesday, February 2, 1983
George McGovern Tuesday, September 13, 1983

Mike Dukakis
Dick Gephardt Monday, February 23, 1987
Bruce Babbitt Tuesday, March 10, 1987
Gary Hart Monday, April 13, 1987
Joe Biden Tuesday, June 9, 1987
George Bush Monday, October 12, 1987
Bob Dole Monday, November 9, 1987
Jack Kemp Monday, April 6, 1987
Pete Du Pont Tuesday, September 16, 1986

Bill Clinton Thursday, October 3, 1991
Paul Tsongas Tuesday, April 30, 1991
Jerry Brown Monday, October 21, 1991
Bob Kerrey Monday, September 30, 1991
Tom Harkin Sunday, September 15, 1991 (Harkin Steak-fry)
Doug Wilder Friday, September 13, 1991
Pat Buchanan Tuesday, December 10, 1991

Bob Dole Monday, April 10, 1995
Pat Buchanan Monday, March 20, 1995
Steve Forbes Friday, September 22, 1995
Dick Lugar Wednesday, April 19, 1995
Phil Gramm Friday, February 24, 1995
Lamar Alexander Tuesday, February 28, 1995,
Bob Dornan Thursday, April 13, 1995
Arlen Specter Thursday, March 30, 1995

George W. Bush Saturday, June 12, 1999 (Considered his Announcement Speech)
George W. Bush Exploratory Committee Sunday, March 7, 1999
Alan Keyes Monday, September 20, 1999
John McCain Monday, September 27, 1999
Steve Forbes Tuesday, March 16, 1999 (On-line)
Gary Bauer Wednesday, April 21, 1999
Elizabeth Dole Exploratory Committee Wednesday, March 10, 1999
Dan Quayle Wednesday, April 14, 1999
Lamar Alexander Tuesday, March 9, 1999
John Kasich Monday, February 15, 1999
Pat Buchanan GOP Announcement Tuesday, March 2, 1999
Bob Smith Thursday, February 18, 1999
Al Gore Wednesday, June 16, 1999
Bill Bradley Wednesday, September 8, 1999

John Kerry Tuesday, September 02, 2003 (Exploratory Committee December 2002)
John Edwards Tuesday, September 16, 2003 (Exploratory Committee January 2003)
Howard Dean Monday, June 23, 2003 (Exploratory Committee Summer 2002)
Joe Lieberman Monday, January 13, 2003
Wesley Clark Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Dick Gephardt Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Dennis Kucinich Monday, October 13, 2003
Carol Moseley Braun Monday, September 22,  2003
Bob Graham Tuesday, May 6, 2003

Barack Obama Saturday, February 10th, 2007
Joe Biden Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Hillary Clinton Saturday, January 20, 2007
John Edwards Thursday, December 27, 2006 (Des Moines, Iowa Town Hall)
Bill Richardson Monday, May 21, 2007
Chris Dodd Thursday, January 11, 2007
Tom Vilsack Thursday, November 30, 2006
Dennis Kucinich Tuesday, December 12, 2006
John McCain Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Mitt Romney Tuesday, February 2007
Mike Huckabee Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007 (Iowa trip after announcing on Meet the Press)
Fred Thompson Thursday, September 6, 2007

President George H. W. Bush To Be Honored By The John F. Kennedy Center. All Living Former Presidents To Attend

PRESIDENT GEORGE H. W. BUSH TO BE HONORED

Points of Light Institute, Honorary Chair President William J. Clinton, President George W. Bush, President James Carter Jr., among others, will honor his historic leadership in America's voluntary service movement during a very special event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
 
Atlanta, GA - On March 21st President George H. W. Bush will be honored for his visionary leadership in the American service movement. Former President William Jefferson Clinton will be the honorary co-chair and will be joined by former President and Mrs. George W. Bush and President Jimmy and Mrs. Carter. The star-studded event, to be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, will bring together all of the living former presidents at a public celebration for the first time since President Barack Obama took office.
 
The event, sponsored by Points of Light Institute, will highlight President Bush's legacy and the critical role that voluntary service plays in overcoming the challenges our families, communities and the nation face in the 21st century. George Stevens, Jr., who is responsible for the Kennedy Center Honors and Christmas in Washington programs, will produce the event, along with his son, Michael Stevens
 
"Born out of my father's 1989 inaugural address where he spoke of the power of 'Points of Light', Points of Light Institute was launched in 1990 to inspire, equip and mobilize people to take action that changes the world," said Neil Bush, Chairman of the Board for Points of Light Institute. "We help people discover their own ability to step forward and make a difference in their communities - to become individual Points of Light. The Tribute event will not only honor President Bush and the steps that he took during his presidency and post-presidency, but also honor the role that voluntary service plays in the American experience."
 
Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute remarked, "For the past 20 years, Points of Light Institute has committed itself to helping Americans across the country live out President Bush's call and this vision has been embraced and extended by every president since. For over two decades, we have seen time and again that every individual has the power to make an impact in his community, our country and the world at large. We are honored to be part of this historic event."
 
In conjunction with the Tribute event, Points of Light Institute is calling on Americans from across the country to recognize individual Points of Light in their communities through their words and actions. Launching today is an innovative website that collects these stories and turns them into a virtual community committed to the power of service. Those who post can immediately begin helping their communities by signing up for local volunteer opportunities. Already, a bipartisan group Members of Congress, including House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), as well as other prominent Americans share posted Tributes to individuals who have made a difference. The Tributes are available at www.pointsoflight.org/tributes/wall.
 
"This remarkable coming together of individuals from across the political spectrum is conclusive proof that, while partisanship divides us, people at every level want to find opportunities to unite to make differences in their community without regard to party or politics." Nunn remarked.
 
Beginning today, a team of "Tribute Ambassadors" will work to inspire people to engage in public service and highlight a Point of Light in their community. Through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, they will raise public awareness of the event and ask people to contribute to the Tribute Wall. Our Ambassadors are an impressive mix of political activists and commentators from both sides of the aisle, business leaders, online personalities and leaders in the service community. More information on the Ambassador program, including a full list of Ambassadors is available at: www.pointsoflight.org/tributes/news/points-light-institute-tribute-social-media-ambassadors.
 
Points of Light Institute is also holding a Facebook contest as another vehicle to honor individual Points of Light in communities across the country and to drive voluntary service. To enter, Americans may submit an essay, a photo, or a photo + essay that pays tribute to either President Bush or a point of light in their life. The three tributes that receive the highest number of votes on Facebook will be eligible to win an expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. and attend the Tribute. From those three entries a panel of Tribute Committee members will choose the submission that they determine best inspires a commitment to volunteer action and name them the winner. A full list of Tribute Committee members is available at www.pointsoflight.org/tributes/news/points-light-institute-tribute-committee.
 
"A key part of the Tribute event will be to draw attention to the Service Generation Campaign, which seeks to raise $30 million in capital investments. These investments are pivotal to responding to a new generation of service, and ensuring that the power of President Bush's legacy continues to result in innovative solutions to the needs of our time," said Nunn. "The campaign will help Points of Light Institute reach goals to recruit and activate 500,000 service leaders, launch HandsOn Network local action center flagships that create model 'communities of light', and design and execute 2,000,000 impact-driven volunteer projects."
 
About Points of Light Institute
Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem-solving. It is organized to innovate, incubate and activate new ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference. To that end, Points of Light operates several dynamic business units that help it fulfill its mission: HandsOn Network, MissionFish and the Civic Incubator, along with AmeriCorps Alums and generationOn, its new global youth service division.

Lengthy Invisible Primary Has Historical Precedence - Hotline On Call

Editors Note. Although these candidates officially launched their respective campaigns in September of 2003, they did make Presidential Exploratory Announcements by filing papers with the FEC.

Howard Dean Exploratory Committee 2002

John Kerry Exploratory Committee December 1, 2002

John Edwards Exploratory Committee January 4, 2003

Wesley Clark did wait until September of 2003 to declare his candidacy.

“But when there has been an incumbent president running in recent cycles, challengers have waited far longer to get into the race. In 2003, potential candidates spent months posturing in the invisible primary to take on Pres. Bush. Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) officially jumped in on June 23, 2003, shortly before the MoveOn.org unofficial primary and six months from where we are in the current cycle. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (D), General Wesley Clark (D) and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards made their campaigns official just in time for the first Democratic debate on Sept. 26. “ By Chris Peleo-Lazar

Lengthy Invisible Primary Has Historical Precedence - Hotline On Call

Henry "Scoop" Jackson 1976 TV Ad "Gas Prices"