President Barack Obama says a new report that says the rich are getting richer while the middle class struggles shows Republicans in Congress are not paying attention to the economic situation in the United States.
Obama said in his weekly address Saturday that while wealth and success are encouraged and celebrated, America is better off when not just the top income earners increase their personal wealth.
Obama says his jobs proposal asks people earning more than $1 million to pay more taxes while middle income earners and small businesses would pay less.
He said although Republicans backed a similar proposal in the past, they are now playing politics.
In the Republican weekly response, Congressman Bobby Schilling of Illinois said politics will not get the economy back on track. He appealed to President Obama to urge Senate Democrats adopt a jobs proposal put forth by Republicans.
Schilling says the Republican's "Plan for America's Job Creation” generates jobs by cutting taxes. He says it also changes the tax code, closes loopholes and helps pay down the country's debt.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.