President Obama Puts Taxes at Center of Campaign Fight

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

With his Republican opponent now almost certain to be Mitt Romney, a multi-millionaire, President Barack Obama is trying to put fairer taxes at the center of his re-election campaign, but a new poll suggests the message may fall flat in swing states.

Obama will talk about taxes in Florida on Tuesday when he delivers a speech in support of the "Buffett Rule," a measure to insure a 30 percent tax on income over $1 million earned by wealthy Americans.

Vice President Joe Biden will travel to the battleground state of New Hampshire on Thursday also to discuss taxes. The Obama campaign sees the issue as a weak point for Romney, a former private equity executive and ex-governor of Massachusetts.

"Middle class families are taking it on the chin right now and they don't see others doing their fair share," Wisconsin Democratic congresswoman Tammy Baldwin said in a conference call set up by the Obama campaign.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/09/us-usa-campaign-idUSBRE8380WB20120409

[flpoljunkie]

1. Obama's message not falling flat. Independents, like everyone else, just want more jobs.

In 12 battleground states, 80 percent of independent voters lacking strong views on either Obama or Romney said they prefer a candidate who focuses on creating economic opportunity rather than reducing income inequality, according to a poll by the moderate Democratic group Third Way released on Monday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/09/us-usa-campaign-idUSBRE8380WB20120409

[roseBudd]

3. Investing in America's future will create jobs, not trickle down

[OnlinePoker]

2. Just looked at Obama's return from last year.

He paid 33.9% in taxes on his $1.34 million in taxable income.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/POTUS_taxes.pdf