The BIG question for me is if [very BIG IF] the R senators really have the cojones to not pass the middle-class tax cuts ~ they are not used to being challenged at this level, but I believe they are posturing for their enablers ~ as I posted earlier, I would happily pay higher taxes to see them fail at this ~ right now, it's up to 42 Rs, out of a 330,000,000+ population, of which at least 95%+ would be negatively affected ~ Sooz

House passes bill to extend middle-class tax cuts as talks continue
Posted 19m ago

The bill is a political maneuver to satisfy Democratic supporters who oppose extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Even if the bill passes the House, it has no chance in the Senate, where Democrats need Republican support to pass a tax bill.

Sweeping tax cuts enacted under former President George W. Bush expire at the end of the year. A small bipartisan group of lawmakers and Obama administration officials continued negotiating Thursday on a deal that could extend all the tax cuts, at least temporarily.

The House passed the Democratic bill by a vote of 234 to 188.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/tax ... cuts_N.htm

This is good news as far as it goes but the Dems really need to start playing hardball with the Republicans and Obama really does need to grow a spine.  I really am not sure he "gets" what their agenda is.

They needed to start playing hardball on inauguration day.

Well, I'd have given them 6 months then hammered the crap out of them.