Specter of tax man haunts Democrats

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The Next Congress

Third of five parts

Repealing President Bush's tax cuts and boosting social-welfare spending have been the meat and potatoes of the Democrats' campaigns since the 2002 election, and they would be in a position to attempt both if they win control of Congress next week.

Mr. Bush has been warning in campaign speeches across the country that the Democrats "will raise your taxes" if voters put them in power, and Republican leaders have been making similar charges as Election Day draws closer.

Democrats have an outside chance of taking complete control of Congress, but a better chance of winning one chamber, and in this series, The Washington Times will look at how such a transfer of power will affect U.S. policy and politics.

House Minority Leader "Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats want the president's tax-relief measures to expire, raising taxes on millions of Americans," House Republican Whip Roy Blunt said last week.

Fearing Mr. Bush's warnings about higher taxes could drive more people to vote Republican next week, Rep. Charles B. Rangel, New York Democrat, released a statement Friday saying: "Nothing could be further from the truth. Democrats have a long history of supporting targeted relief for middle-income families."

Mr. Rangel would be in line to run the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee if Democrats win a majority in the House.

Recent polls show that most Americans expect Democrats to raise their taxes and increase spending for new big-ticket programs such as health care for the uninsured.