President Obama will travel to Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday to “deliver remarks and discuss the themes he’ll lay out in his State of the Union address,” the White House said Sunday.
{mosads}Obama will speak at Boise State University.
In his first State of the Union address to a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama will call for higher taxes on the wealthy and large financial institutions.
Obama will propose that the $320 billion in tax hikes be used to pay for tax cuts for the middle class, as well as a range of programs, the White House said Saturday.
“These are proposals he thinks are necessary to fill out the vision of how the middle class can get ahead in today’s economy,” a senior administration official said on Saturday.
Republicans, however, painted that plan as little more than a partisan stunt with virtually no chance of passing in the GOP-controlled Congress.
“It’s not surprising to see the president call for tax hikes, but now he’s asking Congress to reverse bipartisan tax relief that he signed into law,” said Don Stewart, deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Stewart said that “Republicans believe we should simplify America’s outdated tax code; that tax filing should be easier for you, not just those with fancy accountants; and that tax reform should create jobs for families, not the [Internal Revenue Service].”