Those who don’t learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
In 1990 the GOP, led by President Bush 41 fell for a deal very similar to this. The Dems were able to sit back and watch Republicans beat the hell out of each other, then were able to send in Clinton to administer the electoral coup de grace.
The GOP leadership NEEDS to stop thinking they are statesmen and start acting like politicians. CONSERVATIVE politicians. They need to understand that, for this purpose, the Dems could care less about the economic impacts of raising taxes - they KNOW that if taxes are raised the GOP will lose a foundational issue and the GOP coalition will shatter. Which is the only way they get to stay in power.
Correct...their main MO these days is to split the Tea Party away from the GOP leadership.
Worked with Foley, worked with Bush, worked somewhat with Boehner's budget deal (though more conservatives were onto what the Dems were doing).
If the GOP holds strong this time and defeats this current Dem MO the libs will be out of a main strategy for the foreseeable future.