(AP) -- A leading Senate conservative says he believes President Barack Obama is ready to embrace the notion of keeping Bush era tax rates in place for everyone, including the wealthy, with no New Year's increases.
Republican Sen. Jim DeMint tells CBS's "The Early Show" he wants to "keep tax rates the same." The South Carolinian said he believes Obama "has come around to the idea" that taxes can't be raised in hard economic times.
DeMint favors a permanent extension of the existing rates but said he thinks Obama will oppose anything beyond a temporary extension for the wealthy.
The senator said, "A business is not going to plan to add 50 people if they only know what their taxes are going to be for the next two years."
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