by Linda Young

Washington, D.C.

The White House debunked the efforts from the Republican lawmakers to introduce a payroll extension plan with the Keystone pipeline project in it with a statement lambasting the Republican efforts as harmful to millions of Americans.

Addressing journalists at the Brady pressroom briefing, Jay Carney, the White House spokesman read a statement on the issue, "With only 22 days before taxes go up an average of $1,000 for 160 million hardworking Americans, Republican leaders in Congress are still playing politics at the expense of middle-class families."

Reading the statement Carney lambasted the Republicans saying, "Instead of working together to find a balanced approach that will actually pass, Republican leaders in Congress are instead choosing to re-fight old political battles over health care, and introduce ideological issues into what should be a simple debate about cutting taxes for the middle class."

Accusing the Republicans of reopening old political battles, Carney said, "They (the Republicans) want to have fights over an oil pipeline that has nothing to do with whether or not Americans, on average, ought to see their taxes go up $1,000 in 2012," adding, "That's what gives Washington a bad name."

"Their plan seeks to put the burden on working families while giving a free pass to the wealthiest and big corporations by protecting their loopholes and subsidies," Carney said,

Citing that both the president and the Senate Democrats have put forward different proposals to pay for it, Carney said, "There are avenues here that are available to reaching an agreement. And for the sake of the American people, we certainly hope that that agreement is reached."

Threatening to ask Congress to stay "through Christmas" Carney said, "President, as he said yesterday and last week, will insist that Congress stay here -- and he will stay here -- through Christmas, if necessary, to get it done."

"It is not fair to raise taxes on the American people at this time in our economic recovery," said Carney, concluding, "We hope that reasonableness prevails here and we get this done."

 

White House Reiterates Urgency to Renew Payroll Tax Cut Bill