Nor, he added, had the president's call for "balanced" deficit reduction changed now that he is making it in campaign-style jibes at Republicans rather than private negotiations.
Mr. Salazar's comments and his dire predictions for impacts on the millions of visitors to the nation's 398 national parks and 561 wildlife refuges are part of a concerted administration campaign to pressure Congress to cancel the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration and to accept President Obama's demand for balanced deficit reduction including some tax increases.
"The question is making sure that we hit a revenue target that's required for a truly balanced deficit-reduction plan," said Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the House Budget Committee.
Given our long-term deficits, tax reform's single most important goal should be to raise significant revenue, in a progressive manner, as part of a balanced deficit-reduction policy that also includes savings on the spending side.
Stephanie Cutter, the president's deputy campaign manager, said on CNN this morning that Mr. Obama will outline "his plan of balanced deficit reduction" that includes entitlement reform.
Mr. Carney suggested, as other White House officials have, that Mr. Obama's victory amounted to a mandate for a "balanced" deficit reduction plan that includes higher taxes from the wealthy since the president campaigned on that issue.
"We'll continue to support the President in creating jobs and growing the economy from the middle out, and in fighting for issues like immigration reform, climate change, balanced deficit reduction, and reducing gun violence".
"Congressman Ryan voted for the agreement he criticized today, and he walked away from a balanced deficit reduction plan last summer because he thought it would help the president's re-election prospects," Mr. Kanner said.
That is why we urgently need Congress to pass a balanced deficit reduction package that President Obama can sign, and appropriations bills for the Defense Department and all federal agencies.
The budget replaces the sequester "with balanced deficit reduction," he says.
