Obama should compromise on tax rates for highest earners

[memphis]

Obama should not compromise. All the "fiscal cliff" nonsense is way overblown. And the government needs the revenue. The GOP can't be aghast over the deficit and insist on endless tax cuts and war-level military spending. Call their bluff already. On January 1, 2013, you'll see plenty of Republicans calling their Congresscritter, insisting on restoring their tax-cuts, richers be damned.

[memphis]

Why not just go over the fiscal cliff and then in early 2013 reinstate the tax cuts for those making less than $250,000?

Why is it necessary to wait until we've reached the "cliff" in 2013 to vote on such a bill?  It could just as easily be done now.  Or is the argument that the House Republicans will refuse to vote for such a bill now, but on Jan. 1 they'll suddenly accept it?

They will certainly be under a lot more pressure after Jan 1. People don't pay their 2013 taxes until the end of the year anyway. The larger point Obama needs to make is that the GOP is all talk about the deficit. They will choose tax cuts for rich people over reducing the deficit every single time.