Biden blasts GOP as the real tax-increase party

Boston Herald

LANGHORNE, Pa. - Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden said Friday that contrary to Republicans’ speeches, it is really the GOP ticket that would raise taxes.

In campaign appearances at a union hall in Philadelphia and a middle school in suburban Langhorne, Barack Obama’s running mate said workers whose employers pay part of their health insurance would have the value of that insurance treated as taxable income under Republican nominee John McCain’s plan.

"I think that is simply unfair. It is just not fair," Biden said at the school, getting loud applause.

Biden said Obama’s economic plan would cut taxes for all but the wealthiest Americans. He said those earning more than $435,000 a year would pay more under the Obama plan. He said the wealthy can afford to have their tax burden increased.

"They’re patriotic," Biden said at the union hall, speaking of the wealthy. "The problem is we don’t ask enough of them."

Biden said McCain is a brave and honorable man who has been his friend ever since McCain was serving as the Navy’s liaison to the Senate. But he said his friend’s ideas would be a continuation of President Bush’s policies.

"My friend John and George Bush are joined at the hip. And we need a hip replacement," he said at the union hall.

At the union hall, Biden was asked about free trade by a union business agent; Biden replied that countries should be forced to comply with labor and environmental regulations in order to become favored trading partners.

"If they wanna play with the big boys, they gotta play by the rules," Biden said.

Biden said that during the Bush administration, he had even voted against free trade agreements that make sense.

"They only make sense if you have an administration that will enforce them," Biden said, adding that he did not trust the Bush administration to do that.

At the school, Biden was asked about Social Security. He said under an Obama administration, benefits will not be cut and the retirement age will not be raised and reminded the audience that McCain favors privatizing the program.

Biden said fixing Social Security will require a compromise like the agreement in 1982 that extended the program’s viability well into the 2040s. He noted that at that event, Democrats and Republicans alike agreed not to support any candidate from their parties who campaigned against the compromise.

The union hall event was also attended by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, a usually soft-spoken man who gave a fiery speech attacking the GOP.

"I was astounded at what I saw at the Repulsive National Convention on Wednesday night," saying Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the party’s vice presidential nominee, spent much of her speech attacking Obama personally and not addressing issues.