President
Barack Obama blamed Republicans on Saturday for a stalemate that could increase
taxes on Americans next year while a leading Senate Republican cast Obama and
his Democratic Party as obstructionists who want to place the tax burden on
businesses during an economic slowdown.
In
his weekly radio and online address, Obama pressed the Republican-controlled
House to extend Bush-era tax cuts for households making $250,000 or less while
letting lower rates on wealthier taxpayers expire and go up. The
Democratic-controlled Senate narrowly passed such a measure earlier in the week,
but the House is not expected to follow suit.
“Instead
of doing what’s right for middle-class families and small-business owners,
Republicans in Congress are holding these tax cuts hostage until we extend tax
cuts for the wealthiest Americans,” Obama said.
Responding
on behalf of the congressional GOP, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the top
Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said Obama’s plan would do more
harm to the economy and criticized him with almost identical language. He
called for extending current tax rates for all taxpayers and spending 2013
overhauling and simplifying the tax code.
“Raising
taxes as our economy continues to struggle is not a solution, and the majority
of Americans and businesses understand that,” Hatch said. “The president and
his Washington allies need to stop holding America’s economy hostage in order
to raise taxes on those trying to lead our economic recovery.”
Senator
Hatch is not raising taxes Sir, its call fairness. Its called restoring those
taxes to the rich that they don’t pay cause of the former administration of
President Bush. This has put the deficit of this country on the backs of our
poor and middle class, while the wealthiest American enjoys the luxury of not
paying any or very little of taxes.
It’s
not raising taxes; it’s making everyone pay their fair share of taxes.
