Yes, agreeing to permanent tax hikes over $450k now is the quid pro quo for "unbundling" the debt ceiling negotiations. The expense reduction negotiation is made part of the debt ceiling negotiations. Meanwhile, Obama and the media will portray the Reps as mean ogres all Winter in preparation for the final surrender of the Reps. The real losers are all of us.
Seems to me this whole thing has been a waste of time. AT the end, Biden and McConnell were always going to work out some deal, and that’s how it will alwyays be.
The WH has no incentive to negotiate with Boehner or the House. They know that in the end they’ll just work out a deal with McConnell.
I guess once Obama won in NOvember though an outcome like this was to be expected. I’m actually surprised they got the taxes to be raised at 450k. I thought for sure they’d fold and give in at 250.