Obama priorities won't burden middle class: Summers

Larry Summers, Chairman of the White House's National Economic Council, talks with George Stephanopoulos on his news show ''This Week with George Stephanopoulos'' at the Newseum in Washington February 8, 2009.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House economic adviser Larry Summers on Sunday declined to rule out future tax increases to reduce deficits but said the Obama administration would not increase burdens on the middle class.

Speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation" program, Summers said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was not laying the groundwork for future tax hikes to tame deficits.

"It's never a good idea to absolutely rule things out no matter what, but what the president has been completely clear on is that he is not going to pursue any of his priorities, not health care, not energy -- nothing -- in ways that are primarily burdening middle class families," Summers said. "That is something that is not going to happen.

(Reporting by David Lawder)