Obama Will Raise Taxes on the Middle Class

Barack Obama, who repeatedly stated during the 2008 presidential campaign that he wouldn't raise taxes on those who make less than $250,000.00 per year is setting the stage to do just that. After Congress turned down his request for a legislative panel for deficit reduction, he has appointed a number of former legislators to a "blue ribbon" panel. It's expected that this pane will recommend tax increases on the middle class.

the White House has already begun to lay the groundwork for their argument that such a recommendation by the panel should not be blamed on the president, who vowed during his campaign not to raise taxes on Americans earning less than $250,000.

“The president will not sit on the commission and the options they present will not necessarily reflect administration policy,” a White House official told The Daily Caller.

This sets a course for Mr. Obama to shed any responsibility for any recommendations that come out of this "commission".

Additionally, it allows the president to walk back his promise not to raise taxes on the middle class. I expect that the media will be in full support and to report that this "is best for the country." Of course, raising taxes in a severe recession will pretty much guarantee that these tax increases will cause a 'double dip' recession.

The real problem is that this administration has increased spending by 30% in the past two year...and refuses to curb these budgetary excesses by 1 red cent. Mr. Bush's worst budget deficit was $486 billion dollars...but that was by a Congress, both of whose houses were controlled by the legislature. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, went so far as to refuse to pass a 2009-10 budget until AFTER the 2008 election. That budget included a $1,400,000,000,000.00 deficit. It was signed by Mr. Obama in January of 2009 and included a 20% increase in spending.

Mr. Obama's 2011 increased spending a further 10%, and includes a $1,560,000,000,000.00 deficit...only now has Mr. Obama seen the light...and it's not from him. Only now does Mr. Obama give lip service to cutting the budget and reducing his deficit proposals, but not until next years budget. His proposed cuts amount to window dressing, and are not substantive in any manner.

Now, Mr. Obama is going to try and walk away from his campaign promise of not cutting taxes on the middle class. I don't think it will work...and if he forces the Democratic Party to push this through Congress prior to November, the Democrats will be LUCKY to lose only 100 seats in the House and 10 seats in the Senate.