Reagan attacks ‘demagogues’

Press, 24 April 1984, Page 28

Reagan attacks ‘demagogues’

NZPA-ReuterSanta Barbara President citing statistics which he said proved the wealthy carried a heavier tax burden after his Administration’s tax cut, yesterday attacked “demagogues” who accuse him of favouring the rich. In his weekly political radio broadcast, Mr Reagan acknowledged widespread charges that his conservative economic policies harmed poor Americans despite the recovery from the recession. “I’m going to swim against the current,” he said in remarks from his ranch outside Santa Barbara. “The current I’m talking about is a riptide of critic-

ism that claims this Administration’s economic policies impoverish the poor and bestow benefits on the rich. “This distorted view was created by special interest demagoguery and politicalyear oratory dutifully reported by a goodly portion of the press.” Mr Reagan was referring to charges that tax cuts in 1981 and 1982 were’ structured to give rich Americans far greater benefits than the poor received. He cited a string of statistics which, he said, proved that “the wealthiest Americans are carrying a higher share of the total tax burden after our tax cut than they were before.”