If it's a shrewd hardball negotiating tactic for the President, why is it merely obstinate for Republicans to do the same?

Because in about 3 weeks the tax cuts evaporate, and the spending cuts occur. The conservatives have essentially no leverage at all. They need to be a little more eager to negotiate in earnest if they want to get any of their priorities. This offer does not show that, and in fact appears to be extremely cynical (i.e. "we'll work out that $800B in added revenue with the tax committees next year"...yeah, right...and I've got some swamp land here in the Great Sonoran Desert you can buy).

If they had given even a few details I think people would take them more seriously, even if they disagreed with those details. But they didn't.

And then they still tried to sneak in a tax cut for wealthy folks to boot! That's not serious, that's cynical and intransigent. "My way or the highway" with no "highway" option. Business as usual for them. In which case the scheduled expirations and cuts will proceed.

1poorguy (not fearing the cliff at all)