White House hopes GOP will accept tax cuts

[September 13, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says the Obama administration hopes a top House Republican was serious when he suggested the GOP might accept tax cuts for the middle class without also extending the reductions to the rich.

Gibbs says the middle class should not be used as a political football, and should instead be given certainty that their taxes will not rise when Bush-era tax reductions expire at the end of this year.

House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio said Sunday he would support extending tax cuts for the middle class, but only if that was the only choice Republicans have.

The GOP also wants the tax cuts renewed for the wealthy, saying that would create jobs.

Gibbs spoke Monday on CBS' "Early Show."

[Associated Press]

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