US President George W. Bush's hotly disputed tax-cut plan has hit his ratings on the economy, although he still gets strong support on Iraq and terrorism, a new survey showed.
As President Bush has been on the road selling his proposal for an 11-year, $695 billion (€645 billion) tax cut to fire up the sagging US economy, support has been ebbing away, according to a survey by independent opinion research group Pew.
Only 43 per cent of respondents approved and 48 per cent disapproved of the scheme, which critics say is skewed in favour of the wealthy because it eliminates taxes on share dividend payouts.
"This marks the first time in Bush's presidency a Pew survey has shown his economic rating in negative territory," Pew said.
"His approval mark on tax policy is equally low - 42 per cent - despite a high-profile campaign on behalf of his tax plan."
Separately, US trade representative Mr Robert Zoellick urged Congress to comply with a number of adverse World Trade Organisation (WTO) rulings, including a case involving $4 billion in potential European Union sanctions.
Mr Zoellick told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee that it was important for the United States "to live up to its obligations under WTO rules".
The United States has lost a string of World Trade Organisation cases in areas ranging from US tax-breaks to exporters to anti-dumping measures to copyright protections for Irish music. - (AFP)
