Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was the first of President George W. Bush's (R) radical tax cuts. Tax rates were lowered across the board, with the highest bracket being decreased 39.6 percent to 35 percent. The capital gains tax was lowered as well, from 10 percent to 8 percent. The bill also reduced the estate tax annually (while raising the amount of money that qualifies for estate tax coverage), until 2010 when it was repealed for one-year.
The law provided tax credits for education, created tax incentives for married couples and increased the Child Tax Credit from $500 to $1,000.
Cry Wolf Quotes
Most economists believe that they [rich people] would spend the money and stimulate the economy.
President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi want to keep the current rates on income, capital gains and dividends in place only for those who happen to fit their description of ‘middle class.’ In this moment of economic distress, will they get their way even though a bipartisan majority of the House disagrees with them? Or will present tax rates be extended for all American taxpayers—and most importantly for small businesses and investors, the nation's job creators?
The Obama Tax Plan Would Eliminate Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs Each Year….In other words, for Americans who are unemployed now, their prospects of employment would worsen under the Obama tax plan.
The GOP has two primary motivations. The first concerns the pain that tax increases threaten to inflict on our economy over the short term. The second is to stop the slide under our current leadership towards becoming a stagnant European-style welfare state with limited individual opportunity and entrepreneurship.
Evidence
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Tax Cuts on the Rich Don't Spur Economic Growth
The Center for American Progress takes apart supply side myths.
