Bush Sucks

White button with the illustration of red lips and red text on them.

When George H. W. Bush accepted the Republican presidential nomination in August 1988, he infamously stated, “Read my lips, no new taxes.” Though this phrase was believed to have helped Bush secure the presidency that year, it later backfired when he compromised with the Democratic-controlled Congress and increased existing taxes in 1990. The pledge was subsequently viewed as a broken promise, and the electorate began to question Bush’s trustworthiness. Making a nod to the notorious quote, the lips image reflects President Bush’s declining popularity in the aftermath of the tax hike. President Bush went on to run for reelection in 1992, but was defeated by Democratic nominee Bill Clinton.