They sense fear.

Now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying a new approach: He wants to find common ground. "We're working on consensus," Reid said. "We're willing to go halfway with [Republicans] as long as everyone understands that we're not going to do something that's cosmetic in nature." Some Republicans, like presidential candidate John McCain, say Reid is talking with Republicans only because Democrats are losing the war of public opinion. "They've lost the momentum," McCain said. "Otherwise, they wouldn't want to sit down with Republicans and negotiate a different resolution."

Talking "compromise" is seen as weakness by the GOP. It's emboldening them.

The only time they back done is when Democrats show strength. See Privatization, Social Security.

The war of public opinion, if judged by, you know, opinion polls, is firmly in the Democratic camp. Republicans can't fathom why Democrats are showing weakness in the face of holding the upper hand on the issue. They sure as heck wouldn't behave similarly.

So they assume that Dems are losing the battle of public opinion not based on the polls, but based on the behavior of Democrats.