Sometime ago when interviewing former local Republican officials about local governance one retired and proud Unaffiliated former leader intimately to me the three rules that Republicans hold as absolute regarding any and all taxing proposals; These rules are both, unwritten and unspoken, yet fully understood as being part of the club going back generations, where they are obvious when viewed by the actions of all Republicans.
1. Don't do anything that hurts existing wealth.
2. If you must cause financial pain to existing wealth, ensure that lower-income tax payers pay more than their fair share.
3. Don't do anything that increases the cost of corporations and business bottom line.
When you view this ideology through the glasses of the events since 2011 when the President and Senate have been negotiating a grand plan or taxing policies and changes, seemingly modest but pointed squarely on what many believe will harm just a little bit the wealthy where there is no deal unless the rest pay more you see the conundrum. Now the cross hair is number 3 in these simple rules. The fiscal cliff is so harmful for corporations and businesses that it will cost their bottom line. This is why they are so fixated on Obamacare as they perceive it will them something on the bottom line.
Synoptic Gospel
"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for an [elephant] to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:23-24
If you understand historical reference you would know that the 'eye of the needle' was actually the night gate in Jerusalem where only dismounted riders could pass through but in this case I think the elephant is even better. Republicans if they have been consistent through my lifetime it is they oppose any kind of tax and are especially repulsed by tax increases, especially progressive tax increases.
Rep. Mike Mulvaney (R-SC) said on Hardball today just that, paraphrasing from memory, "The Republican brand is not about raising taxes, period and we and our constituents are comfortable with not raising taxes."
Therefore I don't have confidence a deal can be worked out between the holidays. I think the Obama team knew this going in after the election and planned on this political trap. The trap is multifaceted and sophisticated but is meant to fully expose the Republicans in Congress as both politically wholly incompetent and fundamentally immoral to Americans.
First I see Boehner taking a personal political hit where on January 3rd he will not be re-elected as Speaker and will have to make a fateful personal decision of resigning his seat in personal disgrace. Whomever is chosen (and it will be pretty easy to pick as the Republicans are also so hierarchical patterned and transparent) will not have a functional unified caucus.
So here it is, simply said. The Tea Party represents the 1%. The only deal they are willing is to hurt the middle class more than hurting the 1% if it is necessary. And three, by all means do make it more difficult for corporate class and business to add to their bottom lines.
The first week of January as the DOW will have lost a lot of its value in record numbers the House will begrudgingly agree to terms but the harm will be done politically and financially. The acrimony will only harden as the House until 2014 election where again the nation will be asked to make a decision.