President Barack Obama is talking about ending the Bush tax cuts for households making over $250,000. Will that help Obama or hurt him politically in the 2012 presidential campaign?
President Obama has been talking taxes lately, a dangerous political game for any politician.
In his debt speech last week, Obama made clear that he favored letting some of the Bush era tax cuts expire -- meaning that taxes would go up on couples making $250,000 or more.
Republicans quickly attacked. House Speaker John Boehner called any debt reduction plan that included tax increases "unacceptable" and a "non starter".
While most Democrats have long shied away from a showdown over taxes, there is some evidence that the current fight presents a political opening for the president.
There is a widespread belief in the country that the wealthy don't pay enough in taxes.
A recent Gallup poll revealed that nearly six in ten people think upper income people pay don't pay their fair share.
And in a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, 72 percent said they favored raising taxes on the wealthy to balance the budget.
If Obama can keep the tax debate narrowly focused on the wealthy, he would have the public behind him.
The problem will be if Republicans are able to successfully make the case that raising taxes one anyone will weaken not strengthen the nation's struggling economy.
They've already succeeded once in out-maneuvering Obama on the issue, forcing him to back down from a similar proposal last December.
The challenge for the President will be in convincing voters that the outcome will be different this time around.
Obama is out in the country selling his debt plan and defending his tax proposal.
He knows that winning this fight on taxes and spending is critical to his chances at a second term in 2012.
Voters are worried about the country's economic future and the government's willingness and ability to tackle these big issues.
Republicans know the political stakes too, so expect a vicious political battle over the summer.
Get The Fix in your e-mail inbox! Click here to sign-up for the Morning Fix newsletter. Click here for the Afternoon Fix newsletter. Follow The Fix on Twitter @thefix or @thehyperfix.
No comments:
Post a Comment