Obama to visit family to sell tax plan

President Obama does some kitchen table campaigning on Thursday, visiting a family in Northern Virginia to sell his tax plan designed to head off the "fiscal cliff."

The president plans to stress the fact that, unless he and Congress agree to a deal over the George W. Bush-era tax cuts, all of them disappear at the end of the year, and all Americans face higher taxes.

Officials did not identify the family Obama will visit, but said one of its members sent an e-mail to the White House "about how paying $2,200 more in taxes next year would impact them if Congress doesn't act."

Said the White House in a statement: "This family's story is just one of over 100,000 we've received on Whitehouse.gov. ... More than 260,000 people have also spoken out on this issue using the hashtag #My2K."

The Bush tax cuts are the key to a debt reduction deal that is needed to avoid the fiscal cliff, a series of tax hikes and program cuts scheduled to kick in next year unless there is a new budget agreement..

Obama wants to extend the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, but eliminate them for wealthy Americas who make more than $250,000 annually; the president says the government needs more revenue to reduce its $16 trillion-plus debt.

Republicans oppose higher tax rates for anybody, saying they would slow the economy; they have proposed a plan that would raise government revenue by closing tax loopholes and eliminating certain tax deductions.

Also on the schedule: President Obama and his family will light the National Christmas Tree on Thursday night.