State of the Union address: on Tax Reform

George W. Bush: Congress must act to make tax cuts permanent

George W. Bush: Tax relief is working

Americans took those dollars and put them to work, driving this economy forward. The pace of economic growth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years: new home construction, the highest in almost 20 years; homeownership rates, the highest ever. Manufacturing activity is increasing, inflation is low, interest rates are low, exports are growing, productivity is high, and jobs are on the rise.

These numbers confirm that the American people are using their money far better than government would have, and you were right to return it.

George W. Bush: Fact Check: Tax relief fueled spending, but not job growth

BUSH: We have come through recession, and terrorist attack, and corporate scandals, and the uncertainties of war. And because you acted to stimulate our economy with tax relief, this economy is strong, and growing stronger.... And jobs are on the rise.

FACTCHECK: It is true that the economy grew last quarter at a yearly rate of 8.2%. And private economists are generally agreed that tax cuts helped propel the consumer spending that fueled the growth, which continues. Also true is that the economy has gained 278,000 jobs since July, when the job slump bottomed out. But what the President left unsaid is that in the most recent month the job gain was almost nonexistent-only 1,000-and that as of December total employment was still 2.3 million below where it stood when Bush took office.

Tom Daschle: Good cuts create jobs-Bush’s cuts created economic exodus