His primary adversary in accomplishing that goal if he wins re-election is likely to be one of those Republicans in Congress: Dave Camp, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Camp ridicules Obama’s plans as a bullet aimed at “small businesses and investors, which will only further weaken the fragile economy.”
His twin goals are, first, to back America away from the 2013 tax cliff “so that no one’s taxes go up,” and second to pass tax reform, creating what he calls “a fairer, flatter and simpler tax code that lowers rates, gets rid of lobbyist loopholes, and creates more growth and jobs.” Those two goals are pretty much the polar opposite of what the president is seeking.
The surprise is that Mr. Camp remains upbeat about accomplishing both, including finally cracking the code on tax reform by the end of next year. It’s a sure thing if Mitt Romney wins, he thinks, and even possible in a second Obama term. “The next president, no matter who that is, is going to have to lead on this issue,” he insists.
