House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) stonewalled President Obama’s call Wednesday to extend the middle income tax rates set to expire in January, and hinted that the two will remain at a dead stop at least until they meet Friday.
“Well, I think instead of the House moving on the Senate bill, the Senate ought to move on the House bill,” he told reporters during a late afternoon briefing in the Capitol.
A reporter pressed him on why he won’t, as Obama suggested, vote to extend the middle income tax cuts both sides agree on the need to extend.
“We are not going to hurt our economy and make job creation more difficult, which is exactly what that plan will do,” he said. “It’s not the direction we want to go because it’s going to hurt job creators in America.”
Boehner dodged again when asked about Obama’s clear refusal to extend the lower tax rates for the top bracket.
“I look forward to my conversation beginning with the president on Friday,” he said.
