Democratic aides to Barack Obama blast Romney

December 21, 2011|By Shira Schoenberg

President Obama’s top campaign officials are attacking Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for an economic plan they say will benefit wealthy Americans, not the middle class.

“His plan gives tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and large corporations while doing nothing to help middle class families,” said Obama for America Campaign Manager Jim Messina.

Messina and Obama campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt held a conference call with New Hampshire reporters today, the day before Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, kicks off a bus tour of the state. Despite the fact that Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are tied for the lead in recent national polls, and Gingrich will also be in New Hampshire tomorrow, the Democrats appear most concerned with Romney as a potential nominee. While LaBolt criticized Gingrich when asked about him by a reporter, the Democratic president’s advisers directed most of their fire toward Romney.

Romney’s tax plan would lower tax rates for corporations; eventually create a simpler, flatter tax for individuals; and eliminate dividends and capital gains taxes for those making less than $200,000 a year.

On Fox News Sunday this week, Chris Wallace pointed out that Romney’s tax plan would save a family earning $75,000 a year just $167. Romney responded that “$167 is not zero,” while acknowledging that it was not a huge tax cut.

Messina called Romney’s comments “ironic” given that Romney previously criticized a proposal by Obama to extend the payroll tax cut, calling it a “temporary little Band-Aid.” (Romney later said he would support extending the payroll tax cut.) Messina said middle class families would see lower taxes under Obama’s tax cut than under Romney’s plan.

The Republican-led House today rejected Obama’s plan to extend the payroll tax cut, which lowers the tax by two percentage points, for two months. Messina noted that Republican Senator Scott Brown, of Massachusetts, has called the Republicans’ refusal to compromise on extending the tax cut “irresponsible and wrong.” “We’re waiting to hear whether Romney agrees with his home state senator,” Messina said.

LaBolt criticized Romney for supporting a Republican budget plan that would include a plan to change Medicare to a voucher system and would cut expenditures, including grants for higher education.