George,

Our president has come to a deal with legislators extending all Bush-era tax rate reductions for two years, extending unemployment benefits broadly and extending other tax reductions and benefits. Lefties are grumbling that a) the Republicans were not sufficiently shamed for their insistence on continuing lowered taxes for higher incomes and b) the administration signalled its willingness for pretty much this compromise so early that there was not much to negotiate.

However, is it not possible that the White House has got itself into the briar patch that it wanted to be in all along? What we have here might be viewed as a very large stimulus package without the baggage of that name. Doing good for the country and for the economy, while the inevitable hangover--defecits--can now neatly be laid at the feet of the Republicans. Do I hear 2012 approaching?

Dave Sagarin (Electronic mail, December 6, 2010)