If we avoid the cliff, it's clear that Obama will only agree to do so with tax hikes and fake promises for future spending cuts that will never happen. We saw this a year ago; same old same old, see you again at the next cliff when the debt ceiling is inevitably reached.
If we go over, we get massive tax hikes and massive spending cuts. Obama will likely try to cover his rear by trimming the tax hikes with a middle class cut. The rest would stand.
Honestly, it looks to me like the choice is tax hikes with fake spending cuts or tax hikes with actual spending cuts. I'm starting to think the cliff is the better choice for the long term. Lots of short term pain though.
"Honestly, it looks to me like the choice is tax hikes with fake spending cuts or tax hikes with actual spending cuts."
The Dems entire future is premised upon an out-of-control entitlement state where they get to dole out the goodies, and the Repubs are the meanies who want to take it away from you. We talk about the future of the country decades down the road, the country we will leave for our kids and grandkids, the value of hard work, etc... the Dems provide instant gratification. Instant gratification is winning big time.
Republicans will increasingly lose national elections and races in swing states I fear, no matter how enticing the candidate, as long as this exists. Anything that punctures this entitlement state is a desirable thing.
Some of that short-term pain will be felt by those who, under the Bush tax cuts, paid no taxes but will be forced to if they are allowed to expire.
And they put this guy back into office.
Sometimes people have to learn the hard way. Share the suffering.