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“And I'm the one who will not raise taxes. My opponent now says he'll raise them as a last resort, or a third resort. But when a politician talks like that, you know that's one resort he'll be checking into. My opponent, my opponent won't rule out raising taxes. But I will. And the Congress will push me to raise taxes and I'll say no. And they'll push, and I'll say no, and they'll push again, and I'll say, to them, ‘Read my lips: no new taxes”
- George H.W. Bush at the Republican National Convention in August of 1988
Read My Lips: A Second Term for George HW Bush
Tuesday, June 26th, 1990: President George Bush delivers a short address during a press conference on the growing budget battle in Congress. In the address the President reassures the party and his supporters that he will keep his 1988 campaign promise of not raising taxes. “The Democrats have not seem to have gotten the message I made two years ago so I will say it again. I will not allow any tax increases during my administration, not on the rich, not on the poor, not on anybody.” He also comments on how the Democratic leadership in congress refuses to allow any amount of spending cuts in Welfare.
Speaker of the House Tom Foley responded to the President’s remarks in an interview saying “We have made plenty of offers to the President for cutting spending. It is he who is unwilling to negotiate and move forward with the democratic process.”
Gallup Poll: President Bush’s Approval Rating Approve: 69% Disapprove: 20% No Opinion: 11%
Monday, July 9th, 1990: Congress returns from its Independence Day recess to resume the budget battle. Congressional leaders and the President are no closer to a budget deal. With time running out the fears of government shutdown grow on both sides of the aisle. Members of the President’s advisory groups such as Paul O’Neil and Lamar Alexander both spoke out in favor of raising taxes, but the President under pressure from the conservative wing of the party refuses to budge on the issue.
Thursday, August 2nd, 1990: Iraq Invades Kuwait
At 2:00 am local time forces of the Iraqi Army invade neighboring Kuwait. Forward divisions quickly occupied Kuwait City while other divisions captured airports and airbases. Kuwaiti forces were outnumbered and outgunned and quickly over-run. Several Kuwaiti armored brigades were able to escape south into Saudi Arabia. By the end of the day only a small number of pockets of resistance remained in the country. President George Bush openly condemns the invasion of Kuwait and calls for Saddam to pull out of the country.