Quote of the Day: Obama Not Budging on Higher Tax Rates for the Rich

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From President Obama, asked about John Boehner’s deficit proposal yesterday:

He talks, for example, about $800 billion worth of revenues, but he says he’s going to do that by lowering rates. And when you look at the math, it doesn’t work….If we’re going to raise revenues that are sufficient to balance with the very tough cuts that we’ve already made, and the further reforms in entitlements that I’m prepared to make, we’re going to have to see the rates on the top two percent go up. And we’re not going to be able to get a deal without it.

Well, that’s pretty definitive. Obama didn’t explicitly say that rates had to go all the way back up to pre-Bush levels, so there’s still a bit of wiggle room here. But not much.

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This investigative reporting takes time too. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices.

We can afford to take our time because we don’t report to oligarchs or corporations. We report to you, and for you.

And the stakes are high. Democracy is on the defense. We’ve been exposing corruption and scandal for five decades, and this is a pivotal moment in our country’s history. Will democracy prevail? We won’t wait for time to tell—independent journalism is essential for democracy, and we’ll keep doing our part to amplify the free press.

So, we’re asking: Will you join the fight? Mother Jones has been here for 50 years, and we need your support to fuel the future of investigative journalism. Mark our 50th anniversary with a gift of any amount.

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