In the text, you read this about George H. W. Bush's presidency:
Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won a big victory in 1988. Bush vowed to continue Reagan's economic policies. "Read my lips," he pledged during the campaign. "No new taxes."
What problem made it difficult for President Bush to fulfill the campaign promise quoted in the excerpt?
A. Downsizing in business led to high unemployment.
B. Tensions with the Soviet Union grew and defense costs rose.
C. Deregulation led to a savings and loan crisis.
D. It was politically difficult to find government programs to cut and the deficit remained high.
The problem that made it difficult for President Bush to fulfill his campaign promise of "No new taxes" quoted in the excerpt is that it was politically difficult to find government programs to cut and the deficit remained high.
To determine the correct answer, we can go through the options given and evaluate their relevance to the situation.
Option A states that downsizing in business led to high unemployment. While job loss may have been a concern during Bush's presidency, it is not directly related to his inability to fulfill the campaign promise of no new taxes. Therefore, option A is not the correct answer.
Option B suggests that tensions with the Soviet Union grew and defense costs rose. Although this could have been a challenge during Bush's presidency, it is not directly related to his ability to keep the campaign promise of no new taxes. Therefore, option B is not the correct answer.
Option C states that deregulation led to a savings and loan crisis. While it is true that the savings and loan crisis occurred during Bush's presidency, it is not directly related to his ability to keep the campaign promise of no new taxes. Therefore, option C is not the correct answer.
Option D suggests that it was politically difficult to find government programs to cut and the deficit remained high. This option directly addresses the challenge faced by President Bush in fulfilling his campaign promise. It implies that cutting government programs to reduce the deficit and avoid new taxes proved to be politically difficult. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
In conclusion, the correct answer is D. It was politically difficult to find government programs to cut and the deficit remained high.