New Book - Read My Lips: George H. W. Bush and the 1990 Budget Agreement

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Rezul -- The University Press of Kansas announces the publication of Read My Lips: George H. W. Bush and the 1990 Budget Agreement by John J. Pitney, Jr.; a new addition to the Landmark Presidential Decisions series. What happens when a campaign promise becomes political orthodoxy? In this authoritative new account, Pitney revisits one of the defining political moments of the late twentieth century to reveal how six words—"Read my lips: no new taxes"—altered the trajectory of Republican fiscal politics and continue to shape governance in the United States today.

At the 1988 Republican National Convention, George H. W. Bush's pledge against raising taxes became more than campaign rhetoric. It unified a party, energized conservative voters, and established a political standard that would echo far beyond a single election cycle. Yet only two years later, confronted by rising deficits, statutory budget constraints, and the geopolitical demands of the Cold War's final chapter, President Bush agreed to a budget compromise that included tax increases. The political consequences were immediate and enduring.

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Drawing on firsthand experience inside the Republican National Committee during the crisis, alongside rigorous historical analysis, Pitney reconstructs the pressures, negotiations, and strategic calculations behind the 1990 budget agreement. He reveals why Bush believed compromise was unavoidable, how congressional dynamics narrowed the administration's options, and why reductions elsewhere, particularly in defense spending, were viewed as unacceptable in a rapidly changing global environment.

By returning to the moment when modern Republican tax orthodoxy was forged, Pitney provides readers with a deeper understanding of how political narratives become governing principles, and how their consequences can extend far beyond the moment in which they were created.

Key Features & News Angles:

• The Story Behind a Defining Political Promise: Unpacks the origins, meaning, and consequences of George H. W. Bush's famous "Read my lips: no new taxes" pledge and its lasting place in American political memory.
• Inside Account of a Political Crisis: Draws on author John J. Pitney, Jr.'s firsthand experience working within the Republican National Committee during the 1990 budget negotiations.
• A Reassessment of Political "Betrayal": Challenges simplified narratives surrounding Bush's decision, examining the economic, legal, and geopolitical realities that shaped the budget deal.
• The Origins of Modern Republican Fiscal Orthodoxy: Traces how the backlash to the 1990 agreement transformed tax resistance from campaign strategy into party doctrine.
• Timely Relevance for Today's Budget Battles: Connects the politics of deficit reduction, taxation, and debt management in the Bush era to contemporary fiscal debates.

Learn more about the book here: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700643417/

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