As President Obama finally engaged in talks about addressing this country’s massive debt and deficits in connection with the White House’s request to raise the debt ceiling, Democrats seemed to double down on their insistence on tax hikes. As CNN Money put it in a headline this morning, “Debt ceiling talks turn to taxes – higher taxes!”

The AP noted last night, “[B]oth sides only seemed to harden their positions as the day wore on, the administration insisting on higher taxes as part of the package but Republican leaders flatly rejecting the idea.” Further, according to the AP, “The White House is pushing for some tax increases on the wealthy or the elimination of tax breaks for big companies and wealthy individuals as part of a deficit-cutting plan. During the Biden-led negotiations, Democrats proposed about $400 billion in additional tax revenue, including ending subsidies to oil and gas companies, an idea that has failed previously in the Senate.”

Earlier today, both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senate Democrats’ message chief, Chuck Schumer (D-NY), came to the floor complain that Republicans are standing in the way of the various tax increases they’re interested in imposing.

And last week, Democrats were explicit in their desire to raise taxes. Vice President Joe Biden admitted that “the pieces most important to us Democrats [are] revenue” while “[Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max] Baucus [D-MT] made clear that the talks frayed over Democrats’ insistence that tax increases of some sort be part of the final deal,” according to Talking Points Memo.

Speaking on the floor yesterday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell discussed his determination to explain to President Obama that tax increases need to be taken off the table. “I will tell him the truth about requests by some in his party that we increase spending and raise taxes as a way of solving the debt and jobs crisis that precipitated the President’s request to raise the debt limit: Not only are they counterproductive from the standpoint of an economic recovery; they’re also politically impossible, since Republicans oppose tax hikes and Democrats have already shown they won’t raise taxes in a down economy.”

He pointed out, “Those who are calling for tax hikes as a part of these debt discussions either have amnesia about the fate of similar votes just six months ago — when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress as well as the White House — or they’re acting in bad faith, since we all know that including massive, job-killing tax hikes would be a poison pill. Let’s move past tax hikes, talk about what’s actually possible, and let’s talk about what has and hasn’t worked over the past two years.” It’s time for Washington to focus on fixing itself. It’s time Washington take the hit, not the taxpayers.”

Related:

Rasmussen Reports: 30% Favor Tax Hikes To Keep Social Security, Medicare Solvent

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