newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

George W. Bush made a rare public appearance Tuesday morning in New York at his Presidential Center’s conference on Tax Policies For 4% Growth at the Historical Society.

The former president spoke about the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 that bear his name, and said they were "less likely to be raised" if they were carrying someone else’s name.

The 4 percent growth plan of the Bush Center looks to find ways to sustain that annual growth at 4 percent, mainly by focusing on taxes. Bush told Forbes, who sponsored the event, “Supporting private-sector growth requires leaving more capital in the hands of job creators.”

Much of the public debate is about our balance sheet or entitlements,” continued Bush. “But if you focus on private sector growth, the pie grows, the debt relative to the pie shrinks and with fiscal discipline you can solve your deficits.”

According to ABC News, Bush’s address came on the same day that President Barack Obama was in Florida speaking about “tax fairness,” which would raise taxes on people earning more than $1 million a year. The White House supports the Buffett Rule, which calls for Americans earning $1 million or more to pay at least 30 percent in taxes.

The Bush Institute will be releasing an upcoming book that talks about ways the private sector can grow by 4 percent.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bush commented, “It’s got to be a staggering thing for some of the cynics up here … they didn’t even think I could read, much less write a book.”

The Bush tax cuts are set to expire at the end of 2012 and figure to be a big election issue.