Page 27 - Stan Johnson News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

primaries are over. midterm elections are just weeks away. and now president obama is slamming republicans for holding up his tax plan to prop up small businesses and the middle class nbc's tracie potts joins us for more. >> increasingly, democrats disagree with him over taxes and republicans are digging in, not good sign for a compromise seven weeks before an election. how to win a tax fight and an election? first, solidify the base. >> don't forget who is standing with you and who is standing against you. >> reporter: then put pressure on your opponent. >> we simply don't have time...

disagree with him over taxes and republans are digging in, not good sign for a compromise seven weeks before an election. w do win a tax fight and an election? first, solidify the base. >> don't forget who is standing with you and who is standing against you. >> then put pressure on your opponent. >> we simply don't have time any more to play games. >> reporter: extending tax cuts to americans earning over $250,000 has become the lightning rod for a nasty partisan fight heading into november. republicans aren't wavering. >> republicans are united. no tax accuracies on nobody. >> repo...

we begin this morning with getting down to business. primaries are over, midterm elections are just weeks away, and now president obama is slamming republicans for holding up his tax plan to prop up small businesses and the middle class. tracie potts joins us now from capitol hill with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the president has a problem because increasingly democrats also disagree with him over taxes, and republicans are digging in, not good signs for a compromise seven weeks before an election. >> reporter: how to win a tax fight and an election. first, solidi...

center on the states details a new report on how states are impacted by the cost of pensions and other benefits. and later, author michelle alexander talks about her book, "the new jim crow," which looks at how difficult it is for young african-americans to rebuild their lives while on parole or probation. "washington journal" is next. host: former secretary of state alexander haig is in critical condition. no explanation was gevb as to the cause. u.s. officials met with their cuban counter parts to seek the release of an american held in the maximum security jail for three months. c...