The US Republican Party presidential hopeful has cast himself as a champion of working families. George W Bush is trying to claw back support lost to Vice President Al Gore in the run up to the November election. Opinion polls indicate that Mr Gore continues to lead the race, but Mr Bush has been hitting back on the issue of tax.
Mr Bush launched a series of proposals on Sunday, which are designed to address "the challenges and responsibilities of their daily lives". However, the proposals were immediately dismissed by Al Gore’s campaign as yet another plan to "benefit special interests and the wealthy."
The plan, entitled "Real Plans for Real People," represents a synopsis of the governor's earlier proposals on education, health care, taxes and ways to strengthen families and US communities. It promises to underwrite at least 25% of the cost of prescription drug premiums for seniors, gives a $1,500 tax cut a year to families of four who make $35,000 a year, and promises to save the government-run Social Security retirement system "for this generation and generations to come".
GW Bush's new campaign tour, which began in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday will also take him to Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio, among other key battleground states that experts believe may decide the outcome of this year's presidential elections. However, the latest polls show that the Texas governor has little chance of winning the vote-rich region.
