Obama Stumps For Payroll Relief In Keystone State

President Barack Obama appeared in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, Wednesday to urge Congressional Republicans to support Democrats’ plans to extend a payroll tax holiday for middle class Americans.

“They may have voted against these tax cuts once,” Obama said, referencing a House vote last month. “I’m in the Christmas spirit, I want to give them another chance.”

Republican leaders in both chambers have stated that they are not against the tax cuts themselves, but are opposed to paying for it via a surtax on wealthy Americans.

The cuts would reduce payroll taxes to nearly 3 percent, a scenario that the President claimed would save most families $1,500 next year.

The legislation will likely go to the floor this Friday.

The White House’s decision to send the President to Pennsylvania drew criticism from those on the right, who contended that the location’s swing state status implied that the trip was covertly political. However, the White House maintained that politics was not a factor.