Read My Dictionary

Bush’s 2004 Budget Proposes More Fees

If President Bush has his way, some veterans soon will pay more for health care, meatpackers will have to fork over more for government inspections, and visitors could encounter recreation fees at more national parks and forests.

It is all part of a White House plan to increase revenue by billions of dollars next fiscal year through new and higher user fees. Such charges — generated by services the government provides and the businesses it regulates — would pull in $176.3 billion under Bush’s 2004 budget, an increase of $5.9 billion from this year’s estimated receipts.

Bush: A tax raise? ‘Not over my dead body’

“Not over my dead body will they raise your taxes,” Bush told the wildly applauding crowd.

Mirriam Webster:

Main Entry: tax

Function: noun

Usage: often attributive

Date: 14th century

a : a charge usually of money imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes

b : a sum levied on members of an organization to defray expenses

Of course, he did mangle the language, as usual, and say “not over my dead body,” so he can slide out of it on a technicality. Republicans love technicalities. Like “winning” presidential elections with 5-4 votes on the Supreme Court after having lost the popular vote. So, I won’t be holding my breath for him to follow through. Still, it would be nice if a Democrat or two mentioned it, don’t you think? Just to see the Republicans spin like a top?

Thanks to Pandangon— and check out his new digs.