President Obama, fresh off a victory over House Republicans in the payroll tax cut extension fight, promised supporters that he would not let congressional opposition stand in the way of his policies being implemented this year. 

"Now, whenever Congress refuses to act, Joe and I, we're going to act," Obama said this morning during an event on the payroll tax cut extension. "In the months to come, wherever we have an opportunity, we're going to take steps on our own to keep this economy moving."

Obama said that his proposals, such as the 30 percent tax rate for the wealthy memorialized in the Buffett Rule, represent "homespun American values" of fairness. Suggesting that Congress is more worried "about the next election" than representing the American people, Obama reiterated his promise to act when Congress does not approve his policies.

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"With or without Congress, every day I’m going to be continuing to fight for them," Obama said of the people who supported the payroll tax cut and the middle class.  "I do hope Congress joins me.  Instead of spending the coming months in a lot of phony political debates, focusing on the next election, I hope that we spend some time focusing on middle-class Americans and those who are struggling to get into the middle class."