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Clinton Calls Tax Cuts 'Horrible'

LAS VEGAS -- Former President Clinton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson blasted President Bush's plan to cut taxes by $726 billion over 10 years in Monday speeches to a labor union convention on the Strip.

Bush's proposed tax cuts would add to a growing budget deficit fueled by the $1.35 trillion tax cut Bush signed in June 2001, Clinton told about 3,800 members of the Laborers' International Union of North America at Bally's.

"The first rule is, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging," Clinton said to a roar from the assembled workers and union officials. "Their ideology says 'Give me a bigger shovel.' It's horrible economics, it's bad ethics and it's wrong."

Clinton told the Laborers at the union's centennial celebration that Democratic support for the U.S. military in Iraq doesn't minimize the serious problems he and others have with the president's budget plan.

"Our prayers are still with our troops, their commanders and the commander-in-chief," he said. "At a time like this, when we have troops abroad, there's a question about what those of us at home should do. How do we keep the spirit of democracy alive in the post-9-11 era?"

Clinton answered his rhetorical question by calling for decisions to be made based upon substance rather than ideology.

"Ideology dictated (Bush's) tax cuts, not evidence and argument," Clinton said. "We need to get away from the politics of ideology, anger and attack."

Clinton suggested that Bush has squandered much of the international sympathy the country once had, saying the president's domestic agenda played a part in the change.

"It's important to remember the whole world was with us on 9-11," he said. "We cannot hope to remain strong abroad unless we keep getting stronger at home. The power of our example is always as important as the force of our arms."

Clinton's speech built up to a call for populist repudiation of the second Bush tax cut.

"We've got poor people who are struggling and middle class people asked to sacrifice while they propose tax cuts for people like me," he said. "You ought to fight it with everything you've got. You make sure we reverse this wrong course."

The union members jumped to their feet to applaud Clinton several times, but no ovation was more prolonged than when he wistfully told them: "You spoil me. I almost felt like I was president again."

Jackson's call to the union was equally well received, frequently punctuated by his reminder that: "This land is our land."

Jackson told the workers that they had "climbed the mountain" in their struggles for economic opportunity.

"Your forefathers and foremothers never gave up. They marched, they picketed, they voted, they fought back, they sat down, and sat in and stood tall and they won."

Bush and his ilk, by contrast, were "born on the top of the mountain," and the president's budget priorities are serving the American people "a main course of fear with a side dish of greed."

Jackson reminded those focusing on American military triumphs abroad that U.S. troops are the children of working people, not the rich.

"If we love our troops in Iraq, then love their working mommas and daddies back home," he called to thunderous cheers.

"This is no time for tax cuts for the rich," Jackson said. "We must stand up to this president and this Congress. We don't have to bow. This land is our land."

Clinton interrupted his attack on Bush's tax cut to remind the laborers not to underrate the field of 2004 Democratic presidential candidates.

He declined to recommend a candidate - "They all campaigned for me," he explained - but dismissed the field's critics.

"The pundits say they're small," he said. "That's bull. They're good, they're just not famous yet. I know these people and I have confidence in their capacity to grow in the process and serve."

Union officials declined to say how much Clinton and Jackson were paid for their appearances.

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