President Obama is committed to growing our economy from the middle out by ensuring a strong, secure, and thriving middle-class. That’s why his top priority is promoting jobs and growth while reducing our deficit in a balanced and responsible way.
Since taking office, President Obama has repeatedly cut taxes for middle-class families to make it easier for them to make ends meet. A typical family making $50,000 a year has received tax cuts totaling $3,600 over the past four years – more if it was putting a child through college.
Now we face a deadline that requires action on jobs, taxes and deficits by the end of the year. If Congress fails to act, every American family’s taxes will automatically go up - including the 98 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year and the 97 percent of small businesses that earn less than $250,000 a year. A typical middle-class family of four would see its taxes rise by $2,200.
While the President is committed to working with Congress to reach compromises on areas of disagreement, there is no reason to delay acting where everyone agrees: extending tax cuts for the middle-class. There is no reason to hold the middle-class hostage while we debate tax cuts for the highest income earners.