Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – President Barack Obama on Tuesday called fellow Democrats to quit playing games with ordinary Americans’ lives noting that his top priority is ” to do what’s right for the American people, for jobs, and for economic growth.”
Addressing journalists at a press conference in the White House, the President said that he was “focussed on making sure that tens of millions of hardworking Americans are not seeing their paychecks shrink on January 1st just because the folks here in Washington are busy trying to score political points.”
There was a loud murmur from left-leaning Democrats as the President announced his compromise plan with Republicans to create jobs and boost consumer spending along with extending all the tax cuts that are set to expire on Dec. 31.
Democrats were angry with Obama’s nod to continuation of the controversial Bush-era tax cuts announced nearly a decade ago for the wealthiest households, adding billions in staggering addition to the deficit over the next two years.
Vice President Biden, one of the architects of the compromise, did not have much success at the Capitol but he is expected to return on Wednesday to pursue further with Democrats.
There were, however, whispers of approval also in legislative corridors of power as one of the Democrat insider reluctant to be quoted, noted major tax-breaks to boost capital injections, unemployment benefits to continue for 13 months and savings for working couples with tax-breaks.
Obama told journalists at the hurriedly called press conference, “Two million Americans who lost their jobs and are looking for work will be able to pay their rent and put food on their table.”
With an eye on his sulking Democrats, Obama, “I understand the desire for a fight. I’m sympathetic to that. I’m as opposed to the high-end tax cuts today as I’ve been for years,” he said. “But in the meantime, I’m not here to play games with the American people or the health of our economy.”
John D. Podesta, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for American Progress said in a statement, “I think the President was right to choose helping working Americans over a December conflagration,” noting, “President Obama decided he couldn’t abandon the millions of Americans who are struggling to keep their families afloat, who are diligently searching for work, and who simply cannot afford higher taxes right now.”
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