US News

Obama to launch tax hike p.r. blitz

WASHINGTON – The campaign never ends.

President Obama today is launching a new p.r. campaign to rally popular support behind his push to raise tax rates on the rich – the cornerstone of his plan to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff that is set to wreck the economy Jan. 1.

Obama’s tax-the-rich scheme also is the chief obstacle to a deal with Republicans to stop the fiscal cliff, when massive tax increases hit nearly every American and huge government spending cuts take effect automatically.

Obama will tout his plan by hosting White House events with small business leaders today and with middle-class Americans tomorrow.

He’ll cap the week Friday with a campaign-style tour of a manufacturing business in Pennsylvania.

Obama has vowed to hang tough for his plan to raise taxes on the rich, despite stiff Republican opposition.

“The president has made clear that he will not sign a bill that extends the Bush-era tax cuts for those making more than $250,000. That is a firm position,” declared White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

Republicans also aren’t budging on tax rates, although some Republicans have agreed to raising more tax revenue by closing loopholes and deductions for wealthy Americans.

“We’ve been clear about what we’ll do and what we won’t. And yet we remain at an impasse,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). “The time for campaigning is over. It’s time for the President to lead.”

The fiscal cliff will hit Americans with $700 billion in automatic tax hikes and spending cuts next year, likely triggering a recession.

The average American family will pay an extra $2,000 to $3,000 in taxes after all of the Bush-era tax cuts expire Jan. 1, and about 1,200 government programs will experience spending cuts.

Obama is meeting with small business leaders today at the White House to underscore how their businesses will suffer when the fiscal cliff hits.

The event, which includes several prominent New York business leaders, also is designed to help beat back the Republican argument that tax hikes on the wealthy will hurt small business.

The president tomorrow will surround himself with a group middle-class Americans at a White House event to highlight how they’ll be adversely impacted by the fiscal cliff.

Obama travels to Friday to Hatfield, Penn., to tour style the Rodon Group manufacturing plant.

The Rodon Group is the sole American manufacturer for K’NEX Brands, a construction toy company whose products include Tinkertoy, K’NEX Building Sets and Angry Bird Building Sets.

The Rodon Group and K’NEX Brands, both third-generation family businesses, employ over 150 people at their Hatfield facilities, according to the White House.

The president is taking a tour of the factory to showcase how the business depends on middle-class consumers and “could be impacted if taxes go up on 98 percent of Americans at the end of the year,” said the White House.

smiller@nypost.com