White House silent on whether Obama tax pledge still stands

Finally, Becerra went on Fox News Wednesday and was asked by Neil Cavuto about Hoyer’s comments.

“Extraordinary times require extraordinary actions by our government to make sure we get our fiscal house in order. While the president lived up to his word to cut tax cuts for the middle class and 95% of America benefited from tax cuts last year, we’re looking at everything, nothing is off the table,” Becerra said.

“No one wants to increase taxes on the middle class,” he said. “We also don’t want to cut programs for education and healthcare.”

REP. XAVIER BECERRA DISCUSSING MIDDLE CLASS TAX HIKES ON CAVUTO

Republicans pounced.

“The Majority Leader in the House, a Democrat, has announced that the president’s promise is null and void – and replaced it with a promise that struggling middle class families will face a tax hike at the worst possible time,” said Michael Steel, spokesman for House minority leader John Boehner, Ohio Republican.

The president submitted a budget in February that allowed tax breaks passed in 2001 to expire for those earning more than $250,000, but extended the breaks for those under that mark.

But now that Democratic leaders have decided not to pass a comprehensive budget — instead passing a series of separate spending bills in a piecemeal fashion — they will have to pass legislation in order to extend any of the 2001 tax cuts.

Obama promised to end the tax breaks for high-end earners during his 2009 address before a joint session of congress, but in the same breath repeated his pledge not to raise taxes on those under the $250,000 mark.

“Let me perfectly clear, because I know you’ll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: if your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime,” Obama said.

“I repeat: not one single dime.”

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