Now, put down the index card, and look at what's actually going on.

The Republicans are being pulled into another "read my lips" trap. The Democrats have one concern. One. Getting Obama re-elected, and taking back power.

To do this, they have to neutralize the conservative Republicans and alienate their voters, and that requires getting Republican signatures on a massive tax increase.

At the same time, the Democrats are proposing slashing defense, leaving entitlements untouched, and playing all the class warfare cards, so their own voting base will be mollified.

Maybe the Republicans in Washington are dumb enough to walk into this. We'll see.