RUSH: Here’s Ray in Livermore, California. Ray, I’m glad you called. You’re up first. It’s great to have you here. Hi.
CALLER: And it’s an honor to speak with you, Rush.
RUSH: Thank you, sir.
CALLER: You have a great program and a wonderful staff. A quick point and then a question to you. It would seem to me that Obama should go after millionaires and billionaires, but maybe he should start in his own house with the government. We could call it The Pelosi Rule and go after some millionaires who made it on insider trading in Congress. But when Obama proposes doing away with the so-called Bush tax cuts, he’s really saying, “I want to go back to the Clinton tax hikes.” And so if we’re gonna be go back to the Clinton tax hikes, in your opinion wouldn’t it be a wise move of Republicans to say: “If the Clinton tax hikes are good, so is the Clinton budget and let’s return spending to the levels they were under Clinton?”
RUSH: That’s brilliant. In fact, it’s why I wanted to take your call first, because it’s brilliant. It’s very shrewd. And I have mentioned it before. Not to take away your thunder here. But you are right on the money with this. I have mentioned this in the context of spending. Whenever there is a proposal to reduce government spending, the Democrats start talking about these Draconian cuts. “Why, we can’t do that! You can’t tell me to cut the budget, all these entitlements! Oh, no! People would starve. The kids would starve. There would be no college student loans!” Obama just went through the litany the other way. I don’t remember specifically what it was.
And the answer is, “Well, you guys loved the Clinton years. That was some of the greatest economic times in the country’s history. You loved Clinton tax increases. Clinton is one of the greatest presidents ever. The country did great! By your own claim, the country was fine and dandy during the eight years of Clinton. Let’s go back to those spending levels!” That is an excellent point. Of course, it’s a rhetorical point because they’re not gonna respond to it. But it’s a great, great illustration. Yeah, the capital gains reductions and all that!
Do everything Clinton did. You know, instead of citing Reagan and all of his so-called tax increases on the rich, why not cite Clinton? There’s a reason for this. Clinton is not as popular as they want you to believe. Clinton is nowhere near in Reagan’s league with the American people. Clinton no way, no how has that personal relationship and connection to the American people like Reagan did. Of course it would be impossible. Clinton’s a phony; Reagan was genuine. Anyway, Ray, I appreciate the call. Thanks much.