Posted on 03/02/2015 12:21:41 PM PST by jazusamo
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed Monday that President Obama is "very interested" in the idea of raising taxes through unitlateral executive action.
"The president certainly has not indicated any reticence in using his executive authority to try and advance an agenda that benefits middle class Americans," Earnest said in response to a question about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) calling on Obama to raise more than $100 billion in taxes through IRS executive action.
"Now I don't want to leave you with the impression that there is some imminent announcement, there is not, at least that I know of," Earnest continued. "But the president has asked his team to examine the array of executive authorities that are available to him to try to make progress on his goals. So I am not in a position to talk in any detail at this point, but the president is very interested in this avenue generally," Earnest finished.
Sanders sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew Friday identifying a number of executive actions he believes the IRS could take, without any input from Congress, that would close loopholes currently used by corporations. In the past, IRS lawyers have been hesitant to use executive actions to raise significant amounts of revenue, but that same calculation has change in other federal agencies since Obama became president.
Obama's preferred option would be for Congress to pass a corporate tax hike that would fund liberal infrastructure projects like mass transit. But if Congress fails to do as Obama wishes, just as Congress has failed to pass the immigration reforms that Obama prefers, Obama could take actions unilaterally instead. This past November, for example, Obama gave work permits, Social Security Numbers, and drivers licenses to approximately 4 million illegal immigrants.
Those immigration actions, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will raise federal deficits by $8.8 billion over the next ten years .
Of course he is.
Will no one rid us of this troublesome usurper?
I know this is silly to even discuss at this stage, but isn’t it abundantly clear in the Constitution that congress sets the tax rates? Of all these issues, it doesn’t get any more cut and dried than this topic.
Liberals never understand the difference between increasing taxes and increasing the tax base.
Wanna’ bet that the Chamber-of-Commerce RINO crowd would not be helpless weak-kneed do-nothings if Obama raised their taxes?
Yep, it’s clear 0bambam doesn’t give a whit about the Constitution, especially in these last two years knowing he won’t be impeached and convicted.
“the array of executive authorities that are available to him”
I.e., how much he could get away with before even Democrats in Congress would join in a veto override. I don’t he has to worry overly much.
Congress has failed to do anything to stop him other than making noises. He’s emboldened by that, knows his base is either too stupid or too hateful to care and is probably enjoying being king.
Cue the McConnell turtle and crying Boehner photos.
First time in my 60 years i wouldn’t consider it a bad thing but he’s not a usurper
The demographic winter elected him
It hasn’t happened so far for whatever reason I cannot fathom, but it’s long past time to bulldoze the leftist’s from their stomping of the constitution frenzy, pick up what’s left of it, hoist it over our heads, and march it back from the streets to its rightful place of respect, and honor.
Not a single of what is called a Democrat today should ever take a seat at the table again. Those people are not sane.
Is there really any way for the president to do this? Aren’t tax rates and how taxes are levied straightforward and not subject to executive decrees??? I would be shocked if a president can legally increase the tax rate, or change tax exemptions or deductions by executive decree.
Amen to that.
Barack Hussein Schicklgruber: “Douchebag über Alles!”
Congress, who needs Congress? We have the Supreme Ruler, King Hussein, and the Bureaucracy! If Congress doesn’t wake up, this will likely be the State of the Union in our lifetime.
For the middle class?? Sure it is as obozo puts in place policies to destroy it. Hey middle class, don’t bend over. Congress likes money too so guess what’s coming. Its the same reason congress has done nothing about the IRS abuse scandal and will do nothing in the future for anything else the IRS and obozo do.
we should be so lucky. if he pulls this crap, we could nominate leonard nimoy’s corpse, and the corpse would win in a landslide.
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