proposed a rule to stop that. >> if your intention is to create a new government program, you must also terminate or reduce any existing program, of equal or greater size. >> reporter: the white house pointed out today, republicans don't want to apply that rule, to the upper level bush administration income tax cuts. >> shepard: what is the thinking of what will happen to those tax cuts. >> that will be the main order of business in a lame duck session after the november 2nd elections, but the white house expects a fight, noting republicans pledge commits them to push for those upper income bush administration tax cuts, for extending them. here's a bit of what robert gibbs had to say. >> which, if you read through the pledge, i think they came up with $16 billion, to pay for a 700 billion dollar program and you don't have to be a math whiz to figure out that is just rhetoric. >> reporter: even though the middle class tax cuts will add $3 trillion to the deficit,