President Bush asked Americans Tuesday night to support a $500 billion package of tax increases and spending cuts that demands sacrifice from all. ``Everyone who can should contribute something,'' the president said. Claiming rare unity with leaders of the Democratic-controlled Congress, Bush said in a 10-minute televised speech from the Oval Office that the package was written in ``eight months of blood, sweat and fears - fears of the economic chaos that would follow if we fail to reduce the deficit.'' ``It is the best agreement that can be legislated now,'' Bush said of the compromise. ``This deficit reduction agreement is tough, and so are the times.'' Bush's address from the Oval Office was nationally televised, but his message was primarily aimed 16 blocks away: at Congress, where an initial vote on the plan may be held as early as Thursday. Although the package generally has support among Democrats, lawmakers from Bush's own party - particularly in the House - have balked at its tax provisions. Bush himself had to abandon his ``no new taxes'' pledge in the face of the growing deficit. ``I'm not, and I know you're not, a fan of tax increases,'' Bush said. ``But if there have to be tax measures, they should allow the economy to grow, they should not turn us back to higher income tax rates and they should be fair. ``Everyone who can should contribute something. And no one should have to contribute beyond their fair share.'' Bush pointed out that the agreement had been hammered out by a bipartisan group. ``The Democratic and Republican leadership tonight all speak with once voice,'' he said, and he urged people to tell their congressmen they support the package. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, joined Bush in urging passage of the fragile package, saying the future of the nation ``is more important than partisan differences.'' In a televised response, Mitchell acknowledged that Democrats and Republicans had ``deep differences over values and priorities'' that delayed an agreement for months. The Democratic leader called the agreement ``imperfect,'' and warned that the compromise budget cuts and tax increases will demand ``sacrifice from all Americans.'' ``But, if enacted, it holds the promise of restoring a sound economy, from which all Americans will benefit,'' Mitchell said. ``Everybody who can should contribute something,'' Bush said. ``Everyone will bear a small burden. But if we succeed, every American will have a large burden lifted.'' The alternative, Bush said, is recession. Wavering Republican lawmakers had told Bush earlier in the day that the plan was in trouble, and that a presidential address to the nation endorsing the package might be helpful if he expected GOP support for the package with congressional elections just a month away. Bush also planned to push for the three-day-old package, which the White House negotiated with congressional leaders, in a series of upcoming speeches around the nation. The budget package would raise taxes on gasoline, alcohol, cigarettes, boats and furs while trimming benefits to farmers and Medicare recipients. It also would reduce tax deductions for people who earn more than $100,000. Bush earlier Tuesday had pressed his case with skeptical and wavering House Republicans. He seemed to be making some headway and by late Tuesday, House GOP leaders were beginning to feel more optimistic about their chances of rounding up support from most of their members. ``We've made significant progress,'' said House Minority Leader Robert Michel, R-Ill. One opponent, Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., agreed, saying, ``I'd guess right now it would be narrowly defeated. By tomorrow, it would be narrowly passed. ... People are being moved, one-by-one.'' Bush said the budget deficit was ``a problem that has lingered and dogged and vexed this country for far too long.'' Likening the budget crisis to the Persian Gulf stalemate, Bush said ``our nation is standing together against Saddam Hussein's aggression ' while at home ``another threat, a cancer, is gnawing away at our nation's health.'' The president said that ending deficit spending was simple ``common sense.'' ``No nation can continue to do business the way the federal government has been operating and survive,'' he said. ``When you get a bill, that bill must be paid,'' he said. Bush said that the plan was not ``a magic act'' but contained true deficit savings and would put the nation on the path toward lower interest rates and a balanced budget. A congressional study released Tuesday showed that the poor would be hit hardest by the package, the rich would feel its increases the least. The increased taxes and reduced benefits would take an average 2 percent of the earnings of Americans with the lowest incomes, according to the survey by the House Ways and Means Committee.
