President Barack Obama made his position on tax rates clear today in remarks at the Daimler Detroit Diesel Plant in Redford Michigan.
“[W]hen you put it all together, what you need is a package that keeps taxes where they are for middle-class families; we make some tough spending cuts on things that we don’t need; and then we ask the wealthiest Americans to pay a slightly higher tax rate,” said Obama. ” And that’s a principle I won’t compromise on, because I’m not going to have a situation where the wealthiest among us, including folks like me, get to keep all our tax breaks, and then we’re asking students to pay higher student loans. Or suddenly, a school doesn’t have schoolbooks because the school district couldn’t afford it. Or some family that has a disabled kid isn’t getting the help that they need through Medicaid.”
Obama, however, did signal he was able to compromise elsewhere.
“We can do more than just extend middle-class tax cuts. I’ve said I will work with Republicans on a plan for economic growth, job creation, and reducing our deficits. And that has some compromise between Democrats and Republicans. I understand people have a lot of different views. I’m willing to compromise a little bit,” Obama said in prepared remarks.
But he didn’t offer details on where he’d compromise with congressional Republicans.
