A November 5 Denver Post article about President Bush's November 4 speech in Greeley in support of U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan) and other Republican candidates uncritically repeated Bush's frequent suggestion that if Democrats take control of Congress, they will not extend the increase in the child tax credit that is set to expire at the end of 2010. The Post article, by reporter Chris Frates, stated, “Bush hammered the importance of a Republican-controlled Congress to extending or making his tax cuts permanent. If they aren't extended, he said, parents will pay $500 more per child.” However, the Post article failed to point out that House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) and other Democrats have said they plan to renew the child tax credit legislation.

Under tax legislation Bush supported, the child tax credit has increased from $500 per child to $1,000 per child. That legislation is set to expire at the end of 2010, and Bush has repeatedly suggested at Republican campaign rallies that Democrats would not renew the $1,000 child tax credit. The Associated Press reported that at a November 3 rally in Iowa, “Bush focused on the $1,000-per-child tax credit his administration helped push through Congress, saying it would drop to $500 if Democratic lawmakers chose not to renew it.” And at another rally on November 5 in Nebraska, Bush said:

I'm going to give you an example of what I'm talking about. Right now the child tax credit is up to $1,000. But if those tax cuts are not expired [sic], it goes down to $500 a child. So when you're sitting around the dinner table tonight, count heads. Any of you got four children?

Right here, here you go, OK. I'm going to use you all as an example. So you're at dinner, number one child, two children, three, four. Multiply by $500 means that if the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, you get yourself a $2,000 tax increase.

However, an October 24 Associated Press article on Bush's warnings about the potential expiration of the child tax credit noted that “Bush skimmed past statements from many Democrats that they want to retain that tax cut”:

“If you're sitting around a dinner table and there's two children, your taxes just went up $1,000 if they take control,” the president said, continuing to do the math for three children, or four.

But Bush skimmed past statements from many Democrats that they want to retain that tax cut.

In 2001, when it originally passed by a 282-144 vote, most Democrats voted against it because they said it was part of a Bush-backed tax package that provided meager tax relief in the early years, was far more costly than GOP estimates, and was tilted toward the wealthy.

“The question is: Why hasn't the president and his rubber-stamp Republican Congress joined Democrats' efforts to expand the child tax credit?” said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., referring to Democrats' wishes to make low-income families eligible for the credit.

Moreover, a November 4 New York Times article, outlining a Democratic majority plan if the Democrats were to win the House, reported:

Democrats also say that most of the tax cuts do not expire until 2010 and that any action will depend on the economic climate and the federal budget situation. And they say Democrats strongly support many of the most popular tax breaks, including a higher child tax credit and elimination of the so-called marriage penalty.

During an October 24 interview on CNBC's Kudlow & Company, Pelosi told host Larry Kudlow, “Democrats like tax cuts. We support middle-income tax cuts that inject demand into the economy, that create jobs.” Pelosi added that Democrats want “to keep that child tax credit”:

KUDLOW: Will some of the investor tax cuts on dividends and capital gains -- for example, would that qualify as a last resort or will that qualify as a first resort, in your thinking?

PELOSI: In my thinking, an earlier resort would be to look at the tax cuts at the high end. Democrats like tax cuts. We support middle income tax cuts that inject demand into the economy, that create jobs. We want to deal with the alternative minimum tax, give a marriage -- relief for a marriage penalty a 10 percent rate, to keep that child tax credit; all those things that benefit the middle class again and grow the economy. Some of the tax cuts at high end, I think, have to be revisited long before you would revisit the dividend and the capital gains because you want to have -- you want growth in the markets and we don't want to deter that.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) also supports the $1,000 child tax credit, stating on her website, “I strongly supported doubling the child tax credit and expanding it so that it is available to low-income families. Today, this tax credit benefits more than 1.5 million households in New York.”

From Frates's November 5 Denver Post article, “Bush gives a push to the GOP's hopes”:

Bush urged the crowd to support Rep. Marilyn Musgrave in her re-election bid in the 4th Congressional District and Bob Beauprez in his race for governor.

“Marilyn Musgrave understands the importance of defending traditional values. ... She has worked to prevent the institution of marriage from being redefined by activist judges,” Bush told the crowd. “She understands your values, and that's another reason to send her back to the United States Congress.”

Bush has supported Musgrave's attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage.

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In his 45-minute speech, Bush hammered the importance of a Republican-controlled Congress to extending or making his tax cuts permanent. If they aren't extended, he said, parents will pay $500 more per child.