Jon Tester said he won't decide where he stands until he sees an entire tax proposal, which is likely to affect other taxes as well.

He did say that cutting taxes for middle-class families and making the tax structure fair and predictable "are fundamental priorities of mine, and they always have been."

The White House showed no such qualms about stating its position Friday. Spokesman Adam Abrams said Republicans "are holding middle-class tax cuts hostage" by refusing to support them unless they also include continued tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

"They are more out of touch than we thought," Abrams said of Republicans. "The president would sign a bill tomorrow that would extend the tax cuts for the middle class ... but unfortunately Republicans in Congress have made it clear they would rather stall and obstruct instead of giving working-class families the assistance they need.

"The American people will be reminded of that every day."

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Regardless of who's "obstructing" or not, Democratic leaders last week ditched plans to vote on the tax issue before the Nov. 2 election, leaving it until a post-election congressional session that begins in mid-November.