I have, like many, been sucked into all this Kabuki Motion in DC.
After hearing others talk about it, I too, have come to the conclusion
that Kabuki Dances aside, the Senate and The House will not vote on
any last minute cliff deal.
No of these hacks, or very few of them want to go on record to increase
taxes on anybody. However, the automatic increases will go in effect.
And they will then be given the opportunity to vote on targeted tax cuts.
A vote for tax cuts is a much easier vote than a vote for tax increases.
The result will be the same. Taxes on the rich will go up.
I think you are close. What is happening is, The media is carrying the White House narrative of the President who is the one rolling up his sleeves, "rushing back from vacation" etc. in order to "save the country from disaster" while the Republicans are getting the blame for stalemating talks for their "unreasonable" demands. So in turn, the Senate puts together a hodgepodge of a package and is seen as moving the ball "forward" so the complete onerous will fall on the House Republicans. No matter what they do, they will bear the brunt of the criticism of any of the Bill's shortcomings. I mean after all, they House Republicans are beholden to the Tea Party and the President only wants to "help the middle class." And you know, Boehner wants to also be seen as a "man of the people" and will agree with the new tax height threshold. Here I sit reading this mornings headline and sure enough, I see one that says, "Why The Republicans Lost the Fiscal Cliff Battle" like it is a Sunday night game to win or lose.
This whole mess has just amazed me. I mean, except for the simplest of the simple minded Obama voter knows having the "rich" pay a "little more" does almost zero to solve our budget problems. Even slowing the rate of growth of programs does little. But hey, the government wants to play games and keep kicking the can down the road? The day of reckoning will come someday.