Orszag: The president never “pledged” no new taxes...

White House Budget Director Peter Orszag, grilled about Obama’s pledge not to raise middle-class taxes, left the president wiggle room. Lloyd Grove reports.

Remember President Obama’s supposedly inviolable pledge—repeatedly uttered during the 2008 campaign and at countless town meetings since the inauguration—that he would never raise taxes on middle-class citizens who earn $250,000 a year or less?

This morning at a Manhattan breakfast sponsored by Thomson Reuters, White House Budget Director Peter Orszag threw that pledge out the window. Instead, he described Obama’s “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge as a “stance” and a “preference” that is subject to study by the president’s newly-formed bipartisan Commission on Fiscal Responsibility.

Well, well, well....First we had OMB backtracking on the figures of the HCR bill over underestimates. Then we had OMB go on to say that IRS could never impose any punitive damages but the IRS turned around and said that they will with hold that amount from the paychecks.

Now we have the OMB trying to change what Obama was running around during the election saying about raising taxes.

Maybe the BELOW video will help him refresh his memory.

Of course. How else is Obama going to fund his budget? He's spending money like a drunken sailor on liberty; that money has to come from somewhere???

The thing is, he already has, via indirect means.

The SCHIP bill for instance. Increased taxes on smokers, who tend to be a higher percentage of lower to middle income people.

Forcing people to buy healthcare, while not a tax is an increased financial burden.

If Cap'n Tax gets passed, "the cost of energy will necessarilly skyrocket", adding not only taxes, but further burdening of financial status.

Increasing food and gasoline costs, another financial burden brought on indirectly.

And just wait till the inflation hits from all the printed money. The government loans cannot go any lower than zero interest, can they?

reply to post by signal2noise


Not true! A drunken sailor on liberty doesn't spend more than he has. I know, I was a drunken sailor on liberty many times.

I must be stupid. What does this quote mean?

"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes."
- Barack Obama 2008

www.politifact.com...

Originally posted by Erasurehead
I must be stupid. What does this quote mean?

"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes."
- Barack Obama 2008

www.politifact.com...

Hey M8, your avatar explains a lot about how I feel sometimes when I hear anyone from this administration talk about anything relating to our economy. It is as though they believe if they say it enough times, we will keep drinking that KOOL AID and forget all about what was said in the past.

Here is how it is working. Obama is not propsing new taxes, as then he would have to go back on his promise, however, those who are advising him, looking at all of the numbers, well they did not make that promise so they will be the ones to propose and raise the new taxes. The president will come out and breath deeply, looking very sorry, and then say that after careful consideration they are having to raise taxes as they are not able to fund the country. Course what we are getting will be at least 3 to 4 new taxes, but he will phrase it to where it is for the betterment of the country and the planet. The income tax is one, and lets not forget the VAT, and due to the gulf spill, there will be a new tax on gas to cover the costs of cleanup from peteroleum industry. And with the obesity being a priority, well there is a new tax on all junk and fast food, tobacco tax, and sugar tax, and sin tax. See how it just starts to add up?

reply to post by sdcigarpig



Nah he will just let Pelosi continue to rule the Congress and let her sneak in more stuff into "job bills" *cough* - and continue to take no responsibility for the things that get passed.

Why would he change his M.O. now?

reply to post by sdcigarpig


In the end it will come to him for signature. And if such a increase in taxes were to make to his desk, I highly doubt he will veto it and will probably say, " Majority of you have spoken and I will sign these new taxes into Law because you the people though the votes of your congressman want these tax increases".

reply to post by prionace glauca


I feel like pulling my hair out in frustration these days.

This is how I see it being played out. The President will go on TV to announce his tough decision to raise the federal income tax. It will be our "patriotic duty" to help the nation pay down the deficit. People will go right along with it.

The government bailed out businesses that made some risky moves that lost big time and we will the people will end up paying for it. The sad thing is that most Americans are too distracted to even realize they are being ripped off.

Okay peeps. I make this pledge. If you or anyone else gets in front of me in a jury trial in regards to taxes. I will find not guilty. As for any other victimless crime.

Time to take the black markets to a WHOLE other level.

What is it I am getting from government again? I cannot place it, it is out there somewhere.........oh yeah, tyranny.

I have to pay right now an effective tax rate of 50-75% of my labor to the damn government. How much do these asshats want? 100%? I think they do. I think they want everything we do to be theirs and they will decide how to redistribute it.

I call for everyone everywhere to make this pledge.

I, being sound mind and body, do hereby pledge to never find another human being guilty, in any case where there is no victim.

The government cannot be a victim, they do play the victim card, but they certainly are not one.

S&F OP.