dramatists all that part of the problem. there may be disagreement in congress over whether or not to raise taxes on folks making over $250,000 per year. nobody. not republicans or democrats want taxes to go up on those making under $250,000 per year. let s not wait. even as we are negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let s extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. let s do that right now. [cheers] [applause] that one step would give millions of families, 98% of americans and 97% of small businesses, the certainty that they need going into the new year. it would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic
that is how you reduce the deficit with a balanced approach. so our job now is to get a majority in congress to reflect the will of the american people. i believe we can get that majority. speaker boehner agreed that tax revenue has to be part of this equation. i look forward to hearing his ideas when i see him next week. i would like to make one final point that every american needs to hear. right now, congress has failed to come to an agreement on an overall deficit reduction package at the end of the year. everyone s taxes will go up on january 1. everybody s come including a 98% of americans who make less than $250,000 a year. that makes no sense. it would be bad for the economy and would hit families that are already struggling to make ends meet. fortunately, we should not need long negotiations were
solve that part of the problem. while there may be disagreement in congress over whether or not to raise taxes on folks making over $250,000 a year, nobody, not republicans, not democrats, want taxes to go up for folks making under $250,000 a year. so let s not wait. even as we re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, be let s extend the middle-class tax cuts right now. [ applause ] let s go that right now. [ applause ] that one step, that one step, would give millions of families, 98% of americans, and 97% of small businesses, the certainty that they need going into the new year. it would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table.
now to the president freshly re-elected and now setting the table for negotiations with capitol hill inviting congressional leaders to the white house next week for urgent talks on the fiscal cliff. this is no exaggeration because early next year trillions of dollars in tax increases and automatic spending cuts will come into effect. and so in his first public statement since tuesday s emphatic victory, the president pushed for a deal on tax cuts for the middle class arguing there s no reason for them to be linked to tax cuts for the wealthy. let s not wait. even as we re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let s extend the middle class tax cuts right now. it would immediately take a huge chunk of the economic uncertainty off the table. the president said that his re-election means that voters support what he called a balanced approach to deficit reduction. meaning that historically low rates for higher earners should
come to the middle class. they need security right now. so let s not wait. even as we re negotiating a broader deficit reduction package, let s extend the middle class tax cuts right now. let s do that right now. in fact, the senate has already passed a bill doing exactly this. so all we need is action from the house. and i ve got the pen ready to sign the bill right away. i m ready to do it. i m ready to do it. he s got the pen and he s got the weight of the american people behind him in this debate. joining me now is krystal ball, co-host of the cycle on msnbc and e.j. dionne, an msnbc contributor. thank you both for being here. thanks, reverend. good to be with you. krystal, let me start with