And it was a brilliant maneuver because it gives the president so much leverage. The idiots in the Tea Party handed this one over because they are both stupid and fanatical.

My view: It would be better for America to let the Bush tax cuts expire for everyone and then fix the middle class part retroactively. The sequestration can be either nullified or kicked way down the road. The debt ceiling, pull out the 14th Amendment this time if they even begin to start their bullshit.

More realistically, the GOP will cave and vote in a middle class tax cut, and let the Bush tax cuts expire on income over $250k. This MAY save their rich buddies about $.5T. if Obama doesn't push for further tax increases on the rich.