Because Obama doesn't want to take this up in Mar '12 again, obviously.
Boehner was all for the bigger deal also. He proposed the 2 tier plan recently to scare Obama into accepted a "bigger cuts than debt hike" which Reid has today now been scared into proposing. Ha.
Dems have been all along saying they were against larger cuts than debt hike until today (unless tax hikes were included). Boehner wins.
Boner wins my rear, there will never be any cuts. He kicked the can and grew government by trillions. And the whole deal stinks more republican caving. Where is the lists of cuts!!!