In Tuesday interview with Fox Business Network says “I'm sorry it didn't happen...I wish Congress wasn't so risk-averse on the issue.”
Watch video above. Read excerpts here.
Excerpts:
On what Bush considers his biggest disappointment:
“The biggest disappointment is not getting a Social Security package, Social Security reform, because that truly is the big deficit issue. I'm sorry it didn't happen. I laid out a plan to make it happen, to enable it to happen. I'm the first president to have addressed it as specifically as I did. I wish Congress wasn't so risk-averse on the issue.”
On democracy in Pakistan:
“He's [Musharraf] agreed to hold elections in January, and he's agreed to take his uniform off. And our judgment is, is that the sooner he can suspend his emergency decree, the faster Pakistan gets back on the road to democracy. And it's an ever-changing situation. And if you follow the news, as I know you do, it's changing all the time.”
“And our purpose, of course, is to promote a democracy in Pakistan, and at the same time as a valuable ally in fighting the extremists, who have tried to kill President Musharraf three or four times.”
“He understands the stakes of the war, and I do believe he understands the importance of democracy.”
On making the tax cuts more progressive:
“We felt like that the tax cuts I passed would make the tax code more progressive rather than less progressive, and made that case.”
“Now, a lot of people didn't want to hear it because they didn't want us to lower taxes in the first place. But the tax code is now more progressive than it was in the past, prior to the tax cuts.”
On the weak dollar:
“Well, we have a strong dollar policy, and it's important for the world to know that. We also believe it's important for the market to set the -- to set the value of the dollar relative to other currencies. And if people would look at the strength of our economy, they'd realize why, you know, I believe that the dollar will be stronger. And it is low inflation, low interest, 15 months of uninterrupted job growth, 3.9 percent GDP growth in the third quarter.”
