2008 Democratic debate on the eve of Super Tuesday: on Tax Reform


Barack Obama: I'm not bashful about it: wealthy will pay more taxes

Q: If either one of you become president, and let the Bush tax cuts lapse, there will be effectively tax increases on millions of Americans.

OBAMA: On wealthy Americans.

CLINTON: That's right.

OBAMA: I'm not bashful about it.

CLINTON: Absolutely

OBAMA: I suspect a lot of this crowd--it looks like a pretty well-dressed crowd--potentially will pay a little bit more. I will pay a little bit more. But that investment will pay huge dividends over the long term, and the place where it will pay the biggest dividends is in Medicare and Medicaid. Because if we can get a healthier population, that is the only way over the long term that we can actually control that spending that is going to break the federal budget.

CLINTON: It's just really important to underscore here that we will go back to the tax rates we had before George Bush became president. And my memory is, people did really well during that time period. And they will keep doing really well.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles before Super Tuesday Jan 30, 2008

Hillary Clinton: Wealthy should go back to paying pre-Bush tax rates

Q: If either one of you become president, and let the Bush tax cuts lapse, there will be effectively tax increases on millions of Americans.

OBAMA: On wealthy Americans.

CLINTON: That's right.

OBAMA: I'm not bashful about it.

CLINTON: Absolutely

OBAMA: I suspect a lot of this crowd--it looks like a pretty well-dressed crowd--potentially will pay a little bit more. I will pay a little bit more. But that investment will pay huge dividends over the long term, and the place where it will pay the biggest dividends is in Medicare and Medicaid. Because if we can get a healthier population, that is the only way over the long term that we can actually control that spending that is going to break the federal budget.

CLINTON: It's just really important to underscore here that we will go back to the tax rates we had before George Bush became president. And my memory is, people did really well during that time period. And they will keep doing really well.

Source: [Xref Obama] 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles Jan 30, 2008

  • The above quotations are from 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles, California, on on Jan. 31, 2008, the eve of Super Tuesday.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Tax Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Barack Obama on Tax Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Hillary Clinton on Tax Reform.
2008 Presidential contenders on Tax Reform:
Republicans:
Chmn.John Cox
Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Gov.Mike Huckabee
Sen.John McCain
Rep.Ron Paul
Gov.Mitt Romney
Sen.Fred Thompson 		Democrats:
Sen.Hillary Clinton
Sen.John Edwards
Sen.Mike Gravel
Sen.Barack Obama 		Third Parties:
Independent: Mayor Mike Bloomberg
Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney
Socialist: Brian Moore
Independent: Ralph Nader
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