SMRs and AMRs

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Obama calls on Republicans to agree to some tax increases

By Zachary A. Goldfarb,
WashPost
Updated: Wednesday, June 29, 10:50 AM

President Obama on Wednesday used his harshest language yet to urge Congressional Republicans to agree to targeted tax increases as part of a deal to reduce the annual budget deficit, saying that those lawmakers hold an indefensible position and predicting that they would reevaluate it.

At a press conference in the East Room of the White House, Obama said he is willing to cut spending on a range of programs by more than $1 trillion, to trim the defense budget and to look for ways to control entitlement costs. But he said Republicans must agree to allow taxes to rise on the wealthiest Americans and to eliminate tax breaks for oil companies and corporate jet owners.

“It would be hard for Republicans to stand there and say that the tax break for corporate jets is sufficiently important that we’re not willing to come to the table and get a deal done,” Obama said. “What we’ve seen in negotiations here in Washington is a lot of people say a lot of things to satisfy their base or to get on cable news.”

“Hopefully leaders at a certain point rise to the occasion and do the right thing for the American people,” the president added.

(More here.)

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