Romney Bets On Tax Cuts To Win

By: Donald Lambro

The Washington Times

Thursday, Mar 08, 2007

"After his well-received speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference here last week, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney met with two key leaders in the Reagan Revolution of the 1980s.

"Mr. Romney's dinner guests were Jack Kemp, the architect of the Reagan tax cuts that lifted the economy out of a deep recession, and former Rep. Vin Weber of Minnesota, a key leader in the Opportunity Society band of House warriors who fought for lower tax rates to spur economic growth and entrepreneurial expansion.

"Mr. Kemp has not signed on to any Republican presidential campaign as yet, but he likes Mr. Romney's emphasis on further cutting taxes on investment and savings and overhauling the tax code. Mr. Weber, who was a supporter of Sen. John McCain in the 2000 presidential primaries, has joined Mitt Romney's team and is encouraging Mr. Kemp to climb aboard early.

"That meeting illustrates how much importance Mr. Romney places on tax cuts in his presidential bid and on economic advisers who share his belief in the Reagan economic model. Ronald Reagan made tax cuts his domestic centerpiece, and Mr. Romney intends to do the same in his campaign for the Republican nomination.

"In a PowerPoint presentation at the Detroit Economic Club last month, complete with an economic slide show, Mr. Romney said the country would face two choices on taxes next year, asking the business leaders, 'What is the better course for America? A European model of high taxes and regulations, or low taxes and free trade, the Ronald Reagan model? That's the choice the next president is going to make,' he said, adding ominously that the Democrats were 'already working hard to implement a massive tax increase.'

"You can tell a lot about politicians by the people around them, and that is especially true in presidential politics. Mr. Romney has already put together a stellar team of economic heavyweights..."

...

"This is not only a hefty team that Mr. Weber is still building, but one that demonstrates Mr. Romney is attracting a prominent field of advisers around him who are committed Reaganite supply-siders."

View Entire Article