Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, wants the extension of tax cuts for the rich to happen on Boehner's watch, forcing Republicans into taking responsibility for unpopular votes.
A leader of an 80-plus member bloc of House liberals suggested Wednesday that Democrats should let the GOP-led House handle the expiring Bush era tax cuts and unemployment benefits next year....
"Let them tell the unemployed they won't get benefits. Let them tell [the middle-class their taxes are going up]," he said on MSNBC.
This would take away the Republicans set up. They've set the Dem Congress and White House up to take the hit on extending unpopular tax cuts, and then get to come back next year with massive spending cuts, which could severely limit any real stimulative effect of the deal, and justify them by crying "deficit." We're going to get those cries anyway, but Grijalva's argument is to keep Republicans responsible for the tax cuts.