Obama Campaign -- Yes, You Read that Right -- Launches Capitol Call Program Against Republicans in Fiscal Cliff Standoff

By federal law, the Obama-Biden campaign is supposed to disband. But it shows no signs of disbanding, and is instead launching a whole new campaign. In an email sent out today and signed by Obama campaign deputy manager Stephanie Cutter, Obama-Biden is urging supporters to flood the capitol switchboard in Washington with calls to Republican congressman. Callers are urged to pressure GOPers into caving to the president’s demand for higher taxes. Cutter casts the debate disingenuously, as the president defending tax cuts for the middle class while Republicans would be making a “conscious choice” to hike those taxes in defense of tax cuts for “the wealthy.” President Obama and most Democrats spent years criticizing those very same Bush-era tax cuts as irresponsible. Obama even described Bush as “unpatriotic” for raising the national debt, only to raise the national debt even more than Bush did, in half the time.

Today’s email appears to be part of a broader Democratic offensive against House Republicans. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running robocalls against 35 House Republicans to pressure them into going along with the president’s tax hikes without entitlement spending reform.

Here is Cutter’s email. I’ve removed links to the Obama web site.

Friend —

Who will decide if your taxes increase in just 22 days? A few dozen members of the House of Representatives, that’s who.

Cutting taxes for the middle class shouldn’t be difficult, especially when Republicans claim they agree with the President on the issue. But some Republicans are still holding middle-class tax cuts hostage simply because they want to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires.

Here’s what’s going on right now: President Obama is asking Congress to move forward on a plan that would prevent 98 percent of American families from paying higher taxes next year. The Senate has passed that bill, and the President is ready to sign it — but the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives won’t even bring the bill to the floor for a vote. House Democrats have filed a petition that would force a vote if it attracts 218 signatures.

If a bill has enough votes to pass, Congress should vote on it and pass it. It’s a pretty simple proposition. And every Member of Congress who hasn’t signed on to keep taxes low for the middle class needs to hear from you.

Use the call tool today to reach out to fellow Obama supporters and make sure they contact their Republican representative.

Let’s get one thing straight: If your taxes go up, Republicans will have made a conscious choice to let that happen. They’ll have missed the opportunity to prevent it, just to cut taxes for the wealthy.

Republicans need to stop using the middle class as a bargaining chip. If they fail to act, a typical middle-class family of four will see a $2,200 tax hike starting in a few short weeks. Middle-class families could face some tough financial decisions simply because Republicans didn’t want to ask the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans to pay their fair share.

That’s not what President Obama and you campaigned on, and that’s not what millions of Americans voted for just one month ago.

We know we can affect change in Washington when we raise our voices together. So pick up the phone and make a few calls. Republicans in the House need to hear from their constituents. You can help:

http://my.barackobama.com/Call-Tool

Thanks,

Stephanie

Stephanie Cutter
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

P.S. — Look up your representative in Congress here, then call the switchboard at 202-224-3121 and make sure your voice is heard in this debate, too.