Tax cuts take election-year backseat

WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- The tax-cutting plans of U.S. President George Bush seem to be losing steam in the Republican-led U.S. Congress, USA Today says.

Bush was able to get tax cuts totaling some $1.67 trillion in 2001 and 2003, moves the White House credits with greatly helping the U.S. economy. But as Bush looks to make those cuts permanents -- some expire in 2010 -- he is finding support flagging.

Facing the voters in November, and so having to work the electoral calculus of whether to lower taxes will help more than spending cuts will hurt and with billions going to the Iraq war and budget deficits running to record levels, Republicans in Congress seem to be leaning toward leaving taxes alone.

Rep. Jim McCrery, R-La., told USA Today: "As deficits increase, it puts more pressure on most members to question how much further we go in terms of cutting taxes. We are going to have to ... get spending much better under control before we can continue to cut taxes to the extent that many would want to."