House Republican to Obama: Don’t act on taxes

A House tax writer is joining the GOP chorus warning President Obama away from making unilateral changes to the tax code.

{mosads}Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) registered his “strongest possible objection” on Thursday to the president in a letter. 

Senate Democrats have been pushing Obama to take executive actions on taxes, to roll back tax avoidance strategies and incentives used by corporations and the wealthy.

Administration officials haven’t ruled out the idea, though Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, has said that there’s no “imminent announcement” about such a plan.

Buchanan says that sort of move would “poison the well of goodwill” for a broader overhaul of the tax code, a thought echoed by other congressional Republicans.

Executive action, Buchanan said, “would be a clear violation of the Constitution and continue a disturbing lack of bipartisanship.”

Both the White House and top Republicans have said they’re interested in tax reform, but the two sides still face a host of obstacles in finding a deal.