President Obama remains adamant that taxes on top earners must rise but if Congress wants to tackle a broad budget deal, he's open to negotiations on the details, White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Tuesday.
Obama would “not sign a bill that extends the Bush-era tax cuts for the top two percent. That has long been his position; it has not changed. He will not sign such a bill,” Carney said. He added that Obama “will not accept a plan that raises taxes on those making under $250,000.”
The president believes that “a balanced approach requires substantial revenues. And those revenues need to come from those who can afford it -- the wealthiest among us,” Carney said.
But after drawing that line in the sand, Carney signaled that there was flexibility. The president has already put a detailed budget plan before Congress, “but he is not wedded to every detail of that plan,” Carney said.
“I don't think the President is in the position of boxing ourselves in or boxing others out. He looks forward to the meeting with leaders in Congress. He has some very clear principles and positions that he’s taking into that meeting and believes that we can-- that a compromise is possible here,” Carney said.
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