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J. Scott Applewhite / AP
President Barack Obama greets event participants after announcing his plan to extend tax cuts for the middle class, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 9, 2012.
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Sun coverage
As the U.S. House prepares for a contentious vote on a pair of tax cut extension bills, President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign is ramping up an effort to convince voters that Republican Mitt Romney’s tax plan is designed to protect the rich.
In a multipronged attack, the Obama campaign is releasing a series of state-based reports interpreting how Romney’s tax proposals would affect middle-class Americans, launching a new television campaign attacking the proposal and even unveiling a new smartphone application to help organizers push the message on the ground.
With smartphones in hand, door-to-door canvassers and campaign organizers, for example, will tell voters how many Nevadans might lose their mortgage interest deduction under Romney’s plan and what would happen if Romney ended the charitable giving deduction.
The problem with many of their attacks is that they are still theoretical.
While Romney has put forward a somewhat detailed tax plan — permanently extending the Bush tax cuts, further cutting individual tax rates and the corporate income tax, and eliminating the estate tax — he hasn’t detailed how he would keep the plan deficit neutral.
Instead, he’s said he would eliminate some deductions and credits but hasn’t been specific as to which ones he would actually target.
Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses supporters during a campaign rally at a local business, Tuesday May 29, 2012.
That leaves Romney open to attacks from Obama, who, drawing on interpretations from various economists, says Romney would eliminate some of the most popular deductions, including those for mortgage interest, charitable giving and employer-provided health care.
“Mitt Romney would take us back to the top-down economics that failed us in the past,” says a report the Obama campaign will release today on Romney’s tax policies. “He would enact budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthiest while cutting investments that grow our economy and our middle class.
“And Romney claims that these tax cuts wouldn’t add to the deficit, which is only possible if he raises taxes on middle-class Nevadans.”
A television ad on Nevada airwaves is a little more blunt.
“Mitt Romney’s plan: a new $250,000 tax cut for millionaires,” the announcer says.
While Romney hasn’t specified which deductions he would target, he believes everything must be on the table to ensure a true debate over how to reform the tax code and would work with Congress to figure out which deductions make the most sense to eliminate.
The campaign push comes as the House is preparing to vote on two bills. One, backed by Obama, would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for all income earners under $250,000. The second, backed by Republicans and Romney, would extend the tax cuts for all earners.
In a twist, the Obama campaign is accusing Romney of supporting a tax increase on the middle class unless he gets a tax cut for millionaires, too. Romney actually supports the tax cuts for all income levels.
Romney’s campaign fired back that Obama’s timing for eliminating tax cuts for those who earn more than $250,000 a year couldn’t be worse for Nevadans who are suffering under the highest unemployment rate in the nation.
Romney’s Nevada spokesman, Mason Harrison, argued the tax increase would hit small businesses, not just individuals.
“Those are the folks who need to be hiring people right now,” he said. “Why would we want to raise taxes on them? And now (the Obama campaign) is trying to use the class warfare angle to try and paint Romney as someone who wants to protect the wealthy?”
"...campaign to unleash new attacks..."
Really? Nothing melodramatic and rather juvenile about that headline. These people are running for the highest office in the country. It's called campaigning.
I really wish the media would stop attempting to craft history and pretend that these things never happened before.
The Sun points out "The problem with their [Obama's] attacks is that they are theoretical."
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The head fake by Obama does not reflect that the Ronmey tax reform would increase federal revenue by eliminating tax avoidance by the rich. While president Obama has added hundreds go new tax avoidance deductions to pick winners and losers
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The Congressional Budget Office analysis shows that over $1 trillion of tax avoidance breaks are given out each year by the Federal Government.
So when people complain that the government is not getting enough revenue it is due to the tax breaks for the wealth not the tax rates. Today's rate were adequate to fund the government in the past - now with the $1 trillion tax avoidance breaks for the wealth they can not met revenue.
Tax avoidance breaks are for the sole purpose of Federal Government social engineering AND crony capitalism. The Federal Government is directing what people do with a 76,000 page tax code by emphasizing their objectives with a tax avoidance break.
The objective is to force businesses decisions based on tax avoidance rather then the best business needs.
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72,000 pages of Tax avoidance breaks take many forms of individual and business credits, deductions, exemptions, income exclusion, multi-tiered rates, waivers, shelters, clawbacks, loopholes, swaps and exchanges, charities, excused penalties, stretch outs and carried forwards, family trust and see-through trusts, forgiveness, subsidies, incentives, grants, loans, stamps, bailouts, carveouts, and when it does not exist get a private-letter ruling
These tax avoidance breaks are for the sole purpose of rewarding political contributors and picking winners and losers.
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So the thrust of Obama's campaign is clear with these ads to increase tax rates so they can spend more
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This is about Obama needing more revenue to spend more.
In a recession the goal should be to grow the economy to grow revenue. But Obama thinks raising rates on small businesses is the way to go.
Just two years ago Obama say increasing tax rate would harm the economy
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Obama is building his campaign on the words of Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren "There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own, nobody."
Warren's premise is based on revenue entrepreneurs, small businessmen, and other taxpayers pay for roads and schools; and taxpayers paid for teachers, policemen, and firemen. Warren says we must tax and spend like China on public works
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Per Warren and Obama Your idea, your sweat, your risk taking, your making payroll, your paying taxes for public services - has nothing to do with your success.
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Reason #978 that President Obama will win in a LANDSLIDE...
A Tax Plan that makes sense for THE MAJORITY of Americans, as opposed to the Rmoney Plan that makes sense only for the top-bracket folks, who've been living high off the tax-cut hog for years now...
Hey, if those HUMONGOUS tax breaks for the wealthy were so 'VITAL' to job growth, some of those trillions being socked away by Corp America should have been REINVESTED by now!
From Forbes...
"the GOP meme suggesting that tax cuts equals jobs while, conversely, tax increases on the so-called "job creators" mean less work for the rest of us, simply does not survive any reasonable scrutiny."
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/20...
Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry warned that this was gonna happen.
Bank accounts in Panama, Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands? No surprise that Romney don t wanna show his tax returns..
GMAT says "Hey, if those HUMONGOUS tax breaks for the wealthy were so 'VITAL' to job growth, some of those trillions being socked away by Corp America should have been REINVESTED by now!"
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Why does Gmag Not understand uncertainty. They will not invest until after they know what little money they might have left after the Obama tax increase.
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How could Gmag miss the point.- HUMONGOUS tax breaks are favored by Obama to pay off his contributors. Every stimulus / jobs plan of Obama has included HUMONGOUS tax breaks
The Romney tax REFORM plan is to eliminate HUMONGOUS tax breaks for the wealthy
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Two years ago Obama, Reid, , and Pelosi passed the bush tax rates to do no harm to the economy
I guess Obama has nothing of substance that I can actually make a choice on, who is the best to lead this country. He has not talked about Plan 1 during his commercials, instead just taking pot shots at his rival. Is nothing but petty partisan politics. We are part of a capitalist republic (...and to the Republic for which it stands). Has been that way since the US was colonized. People with power, in power. And as long as there is division among the people, those in power will remain.
Talk about Taxing lies.
The latest potshot is the lie Harry Reid told yesterday.
There is no integrity in the Obama Democrat campaign
Reid is spreading a rumor about Romney that after pressed on it - Reid compounded the lie by says it was from a source that could not have any knowledge of the lie Reid told.
When Reid was further pressed Reid acknowledged that he had no evidence, no proof, and no reason to spread the rumor except to lie about Romney
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Reid has once again embarrassed Nevada
It's very clear that President Obama and Harry Reid have nothing to offer but criticism.
A before anyone says it... YES... we ALL know that this doesn't eliminate the deficit and in fact, does very little to that end. That doesn't mean it's not the right thing to do!
Getting the weathiest in this nation to pay their "fair share", doesn't fix the problem that halfof the people in this nation pay NO taxes whatsoever and the only thing that will fix that is jobs!
The president has a jobs plan that Congress won't touch before the election... it might help, but the Republicans certainly can't allow that to happen.
Their "plan" is to continue to reward rich people (job creator's) and hope they'll throw us a crumb or two!
Hummmm
Smartone is not so smart when Smartone says "The president has a jobs plan that Congress won't touch before the election... it might help, but the Republicans certainly can't allow that to happen."
Why not so smart - because Congress has passed the majority of bills in Obama's jobs agenda - so why is Smart and Obama whining and complaining
-- Congress passed the 2.3% payroll tax rate reduction putting nearly $200 billion into the 2012 economy
-- Congress passed the student loan interest rate bill to keep the rate at 3.4%
-- Congress passed the highway transit bill releasing $110 billion in construction jobs
-- Congress passed the small business relief act to back off the stifling Dodd-Frank rules
Plus -- The House has passed over 30 jobs bills that Harry Reid and Obama refuse to act on.
What Obama still wants is to expand local, State, and Federal governments by hiring more temporary government Union Workers who will sit around doing nothing for a year and hope another bill will be passed next year funding them. And then their is the funding of green companies that keep going bankrupt.
Get smart on the facts
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If you want the wealthiest to pay more taxes take away all of the deductions they glom onto.
Warren Buffet pays less than his secretary in taxes because CONGRESS set it up that way. He can certainly pay more but he won't.
Why isn't Obama running on his record?? Whenever I read the drivel that substitutes for comments here the liberals are always parading his stellar record about.
Although if it was so stellar I guess he wouldn't have to worry about it, would he?
Our valant Senator Harry Reid has uncovered incontravertable evidence that Romney has not paid taxes for 10 years. I bet he has investments in companies that do business in IRAN as well. Thank GOD Harry Reid is our Senator.
Future,
How do you know if Reid is telling a lie when Mitt will not release his tax returns?
Either you are drinking buddies with Mitt, or your claim is just a personal opinion based on what the media is reporting. From your couch in Pahrump (guessing) you have absolutely no clue as to its accuracy.
And ranting and raving doesn't count as proof.
About 250,000 unemployed people in Senator Reid's home state haven't paid taxes since he become leader of the Senate in 2007 either.
"He has not talked about Plan 1 during his commercials"
You don't listen to his commercials.
Open exclaims "future How do you know if Reid is telling a lie?
Simple Harry Reid opened his mouth
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Open which of the following are true or lie
- Harry Reid has not paid taxes for 20 years we know that because Harry has not released Tax returns
- Nancy Pelosi has not paid taxes for 20 years we know that because Nancy has not released tax returns
- Debbie Wasserman Schultz has not paid taxes for 20 years we know that because Debbie has not released tax returns
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Obama knows the details of Romney's taxes and accounts because the IRS has report to Obama on his tax returns. The IRS has not found any audit issues.
Plus Obama signed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act passed by Reid and Pelosi in 2010. This is a reporting act with huge fines associated. Romney has not been fined by Obama so everything is okay.
We know that Obama is using IRS audits and Labor Dept audits to harass large donors to Romney like Frank VanderSloot who donate to a Romney PAC and was singled out in Obama campaign attack ads.
Obama's use of the federal government to attack people on his enemies list is chilling.
After his last trip abroad, it is clear that Romney does a fair enough job of calling an air strike on his own position without waiting for Obama to take aim.
Romney is a racist who hates black people and wants tax breaks for the KKK
I think the real reason the issue of Romney's refusal to release his tax returns won't go away is because Romney himself has said that he will pay for his proposed massive tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans by eliminating tax loopholes. But which ones will he eliminate? HE REFUSES TO SAY. Which raises the obvious question: will he close the loopholes that HE uses to hide millions in foreign accounts and offshore tax shelters? Or does he only intend to eliminate deductions and credits that OTHER people use., e.g., the ones that middle-class families rely on?
This is why Romney's secrecy is so maddening: We have no idea if his tax plan is a shamefully self-serving one that keeps the loopholes used by millionaires like him while cutting the ones used by middle-class families, since he refuses to release his returns (even his 2010 one is incomplete) and since he refuses to say anything SPECIFIC about his tax plan.
This seems to be his strategy: Just don't say anything, don't admit to anything, don't divulge any specifics about anything--and hope that people just dislike the President enough to vote for anyone else.
<<About 250,000 unemployed people in Senator Reid's home state haven't paid taxes since he become leader of the Senate in 2007 either>>
I don't know if you mean by unemployed, you mean those on unemployment or if you mean those who do not work at all or if they do work, make so little that the money is not taxable.
Unemployment benefits are taxable. You have a choice: tax it right away like if it was your "paycheck" or wait until you file your taxes. You do get a "W2" along with any other W2's you may get from any work you did. The IRS knows. I didn't pay fed taxes while I was getting unemployment but I sure as hell paid taxes when I filed my tax returns.
<<This seems to be his strategy: Just don't say anything, don't admit to anything, don't divulge any specifics about anything--and hope that people just dislike the President enough to vote for anyone else>>
smdonromney
Good analogy. Hasn't anyone who just loves this guy noticed he hasn't said anything about anything yet?
At this stage of the game, he should be providing the American people on what his game plan will be or what he hopes it will be, and not keep bashing Obama. Even though I'm a (and PLEASE I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY SMART ASS COMMENTS)...I'm a Cook County Chicago democrat and have been all my life, but I like to hear what ALL the candidates, both parties, have to say, what they plan to do if elected, especially in presidential elections. I listened to Romney in 2008 and liked what he said at the time (totally different candidate then he is now), listened to McCain and almost voted for him because I didn't think Obama had enough experience...but then came Palin. But this go round - Romney hasn't said jacksh*t about anything! It's obvious he will protect that "1%" at all costs on the backs of the middle class. He will make lives harder for the Seniors no matter what he decides to do. But even with this stuff, he is not being specific. Yeah, repeal "Obamacare" but what are you going to do in it's place? Let all the hardworking Americans who do have insurance pay for those who continue to not have any by rising insurance premiums, more costly tests?
This man couldn't even get through a 3 country trip to Europe without messing up.
Mr. O and campaigners have all this time to take pot shots but no time to explain what he plans to do to the middle class? Rather clear he plans to increase taxes on middle class to pay for dependents who can't work full time or above minimum wage level jobs. And to pay for all that aide for Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan, Guam, Germany, Great Britain--you know, the large military bases where we send hundreds of thousands of American soldiers to stimulate other economies. And to pay for health care for all of Africa and central America. And to pay for all the needs and jobs of Mexicans....so they can have more illegal anchor babies to deplete our social welfare programs and lower benefits for American citizens.
It's probably much easier to end the Bush-era tax cuts that try to pass legislation that would do the same thing: DECREASE earned income credits and such.