OBAMA ADVISER SAYS PRESIDENT WILL NOT EXTEND BUSH TAX CUTS, EVEN TEMPORARILY: ’100% COMMITTED’

[JoePhilly]

59. Wrong.

Let me explain why.

Obama made 2 promises about taxes as a candidate

(1) He said he would NOT raise taxes on those making under 250k.
(2) He said he would end the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

Now, the democrats in congress could have sent him a clean bill that preserved the tax cuts for those under 250k. But sadly, they decided not to do so, even though Obama DID pressure them to do so. This put him in a situation in which he could not keep both of these promises, at least not in 2010.

Let's think about it. Imagine he did let them all expire back in 2010. The media would have been playing clips of Bush #1 saying "read my lips", and then clips of Obama promising not to raise taxes on those under 250k. Those ads would have run side-by-side for the past 2 years NON-STOP.

Can you say "One term President?"

So Obama extended them all into the lame duck period at the end of 2012, why?

Because by doing so, they are no longer an election year issue. Win or lose, he can let them all expire. Then he can pressure Congress to re-instate those for people under 250k.

This is why Gibbs can be so adamant about this. Its pretty obvious if you think it through.