Washington– President Barack Obama vigorously defended his agreement with Republicans to extend all of the Bush-era tax cuts, arguing Tuesday that it was a price that had to be paid to spare the middle class from crippling tax hikes.

WASHINGTON — President Obama announced a tentative deal with Congressional Republicans on Monday to extend the Bush-era tax cuts at all income levels for two years as part of a package that would also keep benefits flowing to the long-term unemployed, cut payroll taxes for all workers for a year and take other steps to […]