[Drew68]

Taxes on the rich were going to go up regardless. Either Boehner caves and the rich get nailed or we hit the fiscal cliff and everyone's taxes go up. He's in a lose/lose situation. Doing what he can to save those Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class was probably the most politically viable option.

It is my hope that conceding on this issue might give him the leverage he needs to stand firm against the Assault Weapons Ban that you can bet is right around the corner.

[fatnotlazy]

” It is my hope that conceding on this issue might give him the leverage he needs to stand firm against the Assault Weapons Ban that you can bet is right around the corner.”

***

Sorry Drew, but that is naive thinking. The Democrats view any effort to compromise as capitulation. If the Republicans cave on taxes, they will cave on gun control. The Dems know that all too well, and the Republicans will just take it with barely a whimper.

[bigdaddy45]

You’re absolutely right. I keep hearing about Boehner “caving”. There is NOTHING the Republicans can do to prevent taxes from going up. Literally nothing. The only thing he can do is to negotiate spending cuts. But on the tax issue, its a done deal.

[chiller]

Now that Boehner has conceded these taxes on the top earners (in exchange for dramatic spending cuts), I suppose it will eventually be part of the deal, but Obama has refused the offer, which makes him look like the bad guy. R's are willing to work a deal, Obie is not.

Boehner probably knew it would be refused, so no harm yet. CBS News has begun questioning Obie's willingness to compromise and this verifies, actually strengthening our case, and redirects pending blame on them, not on us.