House votes 234-188 to extend cuts on first $250k in family income, let top-tier breaks expire.
Plus: Wash Post on Obama, GOP’s quiet talks to extend cuts.
And/But: Gibbs’ Talmudic statement says “because Republicans have made it clear that they won’t pass a middle class extension without also extending tax cuts for the wealthy, the President has asked Director Lew and Secretary Geithner to work with Congress to find a way forward.”
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press SecretaryDecember 2, 2010
Statement by the Press Secretary on Middle Class Tax Cuts
“The President continues to believe that extending middle class tax cuts is the most important thing we can do for our economy right now and he applauds the House for passing a permanent extension. But, because Republicans have made it clear that they won’t pass a middle class extension without also extending tax cuts for the wealthy, the President has asked Director Lew and Secretary Geithner to work with Congress to find a way forward. Those discussions started just yesterday and are continuing this afternoon. The talks are ongoing and productive, but any reports that we are near a deal in the tax cuts negotiations are inaccurate and premature.”
