I have already pondered these. If you watch Obama he is only talking about the tax cuts because he wants the voters to think that the rich are all Republicans care about, (and some seem to want to help him at that).
So he is setting things up so Republicans can call his bluff and pass the tax cuts, so then if he demands more Rs can make a big fuss about Obama demands a moving target and O playing with the middle class peoples lives.
So in this it is good that it is dragging out a while.
As far as gloating goes, Dems are going to do that. We have to be tough and stomach it.
But the longer the standoff drags out the more of a victory O can claim, and if Rs hold out like they did on the debt limit then Rs will really be hurt by it, and cave on it too.
I heard on the Dem channel that it is being leaked that Bohner is planning on doing exactly as I been advising, pass the tax cuts and nothing else.
I also heard on both channels that Obama wants to lure Rs into a suicidal confrontation early on so he can crush them with public opinion and they (leadership) will be terrified to stand up to him again, and the R party descends into civil war,
This one could just be Obama trying to psych out Republicans, but I can see it playing out that way too,
That might result (after senate amendments) in a House/senate pork-o-rama conference behind closed doors, followed by a quick vote before they read it.