2 Obama officials: No guarantee taxes won't go up--for the middle class

[foginthemorn]

This is not good news at all.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090802/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_economy;_ylt=Anz1GGRwxpVskVTI4Tm0An4Gw_IE;_ylu=X3oDMTJkNGN0OGNnBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwODAyL3VzX2Vjb25vbXkEY3BvcwM3BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDMm9iYW1hb2ZmaWNp

2 Obama officials: No guarantee taxes won't go up

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, 1 hr 32 mins ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul.

As the White House sought to balance campaign rhetoric with governing, officials appeared willing to extend unemployment benefits. With former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan saying he is "pretty sure we've already seen the bottom" of the recession, Obama aides sought to defend the economic stimulus and calm a jittery public.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both sidestepped questions on Obama's intentions about taxes. Geithner said the White House was not ready to rule out a tax hike to lower the federal deficit; Summers said Obama's proposed health care overhaul needs funding from somewhere.

"There is a lot that can happen over time," Summers said, adding that the administration believes "it is never a good idea to absolutely rule things out, no matter what."

During his presidential campaign, Obama repeatedly vowed "you will not see any of your taxes increase one single dime." But the simple reality remains that his ambitious overhaul of how Americans receive health care — promised without increasing the federal deficit — must be paid for..........................

[sasquatch]

1. Crack the whip Obama, get these bastards in line.

[Mass]

23. Do you mean the media, because this is all media circus, nothing else.

[Raven]

2. Did Obama, or anyone for that matter, know how bad things were

during th campaign? Whole new ballgame after January 20th. I hope and trust that Obama will do what has to be done and if that means new taxes, so be it.

[Better Believe It]

25. That's the ticket! Tax the working middle class! Tax workers, not the rich

We need to raise more money that can be given to Wall Street and the banksters!

That ought to increase the Democratic majority in the House and Senate in 2010.

[NYC_SKP]

3. When you're aiming at a moving target, you have to adjust.

It's not like we've had a stable economy, trade balance, or that the president came into anything stable like the past, let's see, DOZEN administrations.

I'll maintain my support for the president and until I learn for certain what all this new drama is about, I'm not going to gripe.

:patriot:

[paulk]

4. rescind the Bush tax cuts

[stray cat]

7. on the middle class as well as the wealth - that works as a tax increase for all

why shouldn't all of us contribute to a good health care plan for all? It is easy to support or fight for something if you think someone else will pay for it - if you have to sacrifice something you have to really want it.

[paulk]

8. since the Bush tax cuts were mostly to the benefit of the

wealthy, I would much rather see them pay their fair share than raising taxes on the middle class.

Of course rescinding the Bush era tax cuts would take some political courage, something the Obama administration seems to lack.

[lunatica]

12. Bush's taxes cuts benefitting the richest were not made permanent

though they tried. The Bush tax cuts on income, capital gains and dividends are slated to expire after 2010. At that time the pre-Bush tax cut rate will be reinstated (unless Congress changes it).

That's why they're now talking about raising taxes on the middle class too. It's foolish to think that the middle class isn't going to pay for most of the bailouts and the stimulus plans.

[paulk]

19. it's foolish to expect the Dems to do the right thing

I guess.

Personally, I don't want to hear anything about middle class tax increases while the Bush tax giveaways to the rich are still in effect. With the majorities we have in Congress, I would have expected our President and Congress to show some political will on this issue.

[avaistheone1]

36. Roll back both the Bush and Reagan tax cuts.

That would give the middle class in this country a chance to get back on our feet.

[kjackson227]

40. I agree, rescind the Bush tax cuts FIRST, THEN we can talk about more taxes on the middle-class...

I'm willing to pay more taxes if need be in order to get good HCR.

[mkultra]

45. Congress must do that

as president, all he can do is veto any re-up of the cuts thus guaranteeing a sunset.

[paulk]

50. Obama has stated that he is opposed to rescinding the tax cuts

despite calling for a repeal during the campaign

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/08/pelosi-parts-with-obama-o_n_156260.html

Congress is not going to overide him on this

[mkultra]

52. obama also states that he he is opposed to increasing middle class taxes

and his statements during the campaign where that he would let the bush tax cuts expire, not repeal.

[paulk]

53. No.

You don't get to just make shit up.

Obama campaigned on repealing the Bush tax cuts before they expired in 2011.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/24/politics/main4631105.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_4631105

There are plenty of other sources on this if you google it.

-----------------

[mkultra]

56. quoting the news is not quoting Obama

many people have interpreted his willingness to let them sunset as a call to repeal but, frankly, ive never heard him say that. From my recollection, he wanted them to sunset normally at the end of 2010.

[paulk]

59. It's right in Obama's tax plan

http://www.barackobama.com/taxes/

"Families making more than $250,000 will pay either the same or lower tax rates than they paid in the 1990s. Obama will ask the wealthiest 2% of families to give back a portion of the tax cuts they have received over the past eight years to ensure we are restoring fairness and returning to fiscal responsibility. But no family will pay higher tax rates than they would have paid in the 1990s. In fact, dividend rates would be 39 percent lower than what President Bush proposed in his 2001 tax cut."

[mkultra]

60. im not saying your wrong but

again, this doesn't indicate the difference between letting it sunset and repeal. Still, im open to the idea that i could be wrong on this one. I just have no recollection of him saying that they would be repealed and i DO remember him saying he would let them expire.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. And no suggestion that they would

Translation: Manufactured bullshit very attractive to the negatively predisposed.

[foginthemorn]

11. Is that how you translate the first sentence?

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Yes, absolutely

[high density]

21. yes, they refused to say "no new taxes"

So the press assumes that means it's an option.

[mkultra]

46. yup, open statements do not mean the opposite

Im not saying that Saddam has WMD. im just saying that we don't know.

[masuki bance]

6. Higher taxes are coming. nt

[phoenixriz]

14. I don't trust the Media

They will formulate their questions to get a negative, scare tactic answer. Look at Medicare. Not one Republican voted for it. It has helped millions of people through the years and the overhead is low.

This is the same thing. We are working with the party of NO and some Blue Dog democrats that will only paint a dismal picture. We the People, need to rise up and contact our congressmen/women through phone calls, emails, letters, whatever we can afford and tell them to quit bargaining with the for Profits who are buying votes. Pharm is only giving marginal assistance. It is shameful.

Full coverage is worth a few extra dollars that are currently paying for health insurance. Raise the taxes on the wealthy since they use so many loopholes that they actually pay less than many of us.

[mkultra]

47. flush cheeks from foolishness more likely.

[inna]

9. Summers and Geithner, who else.

they're fine with giving away trillions of taxpayers' money to their fellow banksters though.


one word, pigs.

[foginthemorn]

10. True.

[OwnedByFerrets]

13. I will be glad to pay more taxes for single payer health care.

[earthside]

18. But you wouldn't have to.

Under a good single-payer plan, all the money that is currently being funneled to the multiple insurance companies would go instead to a single government-run pool. There is more than enough money presently being spent now to cover everybody and lower premiums for most people, too.

Why we would want a 'public option' that creates yet another new insurance bureaucracy is beyond me ... single-payer is the simplest, most efficient idea. I just got back home from visiting Republican relatives in Ohio and I was surprised at how many of them thought single-payer was a good idea.

Obama has really missed the boat on this health insurance reform.

[OwnedByFerrets]

32. I agree with every word. Unfortunately, our so-called

representatives are bought and paid for by big business.

[Uzybone]

15. Summers also refused to rule out that he would sneeze and the moon would explode

this is rubbish gotcha journalism.

Let the Bush tax cuts expire 1st, then the media should start thinking about middle class tax increases.

[annabanana]

34. +1 . . . n/t

[SpartanDem]

16. Summer backtracked later in interview

During an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation," Summers said, "No, not at all," when he was asked directly if the administration is considering a tax increase to offset the deficit.

But the former Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton offered a gaping caveat later in the interview that the president won't rule anything out when it comes to the deficit or the economy.

"There's a lot that can happen over time," Summers said. "It's never a good idea to absolutely rule things...out no matter what."

He then stepped back from that ledge by reiterating Obama's campaign pledge not to tax the middle-class

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0809/Summers_downplays_call_for_tax_increase.html?showall

[Kdillard]

17. You have to love the media and the framing. Timothy Geithner

never said they are going to do it but simply said it would not be ruled out if it would help control and bring down the deficit. If it can be avoided it will be I am sure but at this point nothing can or should be ruled out as we move forward. Unlike Republicans at least they realize that things have to be paid for and are dealing with reality. The media continues to disgust me with their obvious agenda.

[Mass]

22. They also did not rule out that the sun would not rise tomorrow.

Well, neither Geithner nor Summer said what the title says. They simply did not say "The tax will not increase".

More AP lousy job.

[Avalux]

24. I'm not gonna get worked up about a yahoo news article.

And anyone that does is naive. This article is a slam against healthcare reform and we all know the media is out in full force to keep it from happening. They are desperately trying to maintain the status quo.

[uponit7771]

27. +1 ! How many times has Yahoo just reprindted sloppy written AP reports

[natrat]

26. force us into paying corrupt insurance companies then tax us for it

change

[uponit7771]

28. *****ANOTHER SLOPPY YAHOO REPORT******

"..Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both sidestepped questions on Obama's intentions about taxes.."

NOTHING about that statement says Obama is considering raising taxes on the middle class, NOTHING AT ALL...

YAHOO and the AP has done this again and again and again

[Avalux]

29. Yep. Good on you!

I give no relevance to anything coming for Yahoo or AP for that matter.

[City Lights]

51. Thanks for pointing that out, uponit7771.

:thumbsup:

[HughMoran]

30. It's a ploy, of course

They know that they can't raise taxes, which is exactly why they're bringing it up.

[dkf]

31. The rich don't make enough to get us to a balanced budget much less

pay off any of the deficit. If you think the middle class isn't going to have to pay more taxes you are living in lala land.

The overspending and under taxing has been so egregious there is no other way.

[annabanana]

33. If you actually WATCHED the segments, what you saw was classic "Gotcha"

crap by the media.

"Promise me NOW that you'll never, ever, ever ever do such & such"..

"What, you won't?"

ANNOUNCEMENT
"Cannot say that tax increases might not be imminent!!!"

(for immediate, wide distribution)
-Lutz

[Blue_Roses]

37. exactly...

anything to fuel the fire...

David Gregory is the worse too. He can twist the most honest statement into a "maybe"...:eyes: Ugh...

[avaistheone1]

35. Roll back the Reagan tax cuts on the rich and everything witll be fine.

Leave the middle class alone. We are already overburdened.

[RayOfHope]

38. Boy you sure do love to post some bullshit, alarmist, misleading articles. n/t

[Proud Liberal Dem]

39. Oh great

The corpo-media has found it's news story to obsess about for this week

[TexasObserver]

41. Why am I not surprised you've started another thread dogging Obama?

[RayOfHope]

43. Hooray, it finally got a well deserved tombstone. n/t

[TexasObserver]

44. Well, it is lunch time. Pizza!!

[mkultra]

49. YES! now if we can just get the rest of the Anti-O MSM posters stoned

we could go back to being a board.

[Flying Dream Blues]

57. I'm with you...some pizzas are way overdue! nt

[Teaser]

42. i love the smell of unrecs in the morning

.

[mkultra]

48. seem pretty clear that as underlings,

that they have been instructed to not make sweeping policy statements.

[dionysus]

54. later sucka.

[quiller4]

55. Did you actually hear the interviews? I did and I would say the

talk today is much ado about nothing.

[Cali_Democrat]

58. Another faux controversy created by the mediawhores, much ado about nothing

The author of this thread has been tombstoned.

[Phx_Dem]

61. Actually, the bad news is your fear-mongerings and spreading of lies.

[and-justice-for-all]

62. I dont care if my taxes go up, as long as I get something out of it..

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.