It seems at least some Republicans are waking up to the idea that full-on obstruction isn't necessarily the strategy that will save them politically with the public.

But they still remain woefully out of touch with the body politic, if the same Washington Post story is to be believed.



Many Republicans say they are willing to vote for higher tax rates only as part of a big debt-reduction deal. So, in the absence of such a deal, top GOP aides have been looking for a way to make Democrats bear the political burden of raising taxes on the rich. It could work like this: The Republican-controlled House could adopt two competing bills. One, supported primarily by Republicans, would extend the expiring low tax rates for all households, including the rich. The second, supported primarily by Democrats, would extend the current low rates only on income less than $250,000 a year, allowing rates for the wealthy to increase. Both measures would go to the Democratic-controlled Senate, which would then pass only the Democratic bill.

They really think that voting just to raise taxes on the rich is bad politics. This is after Senate Democrats, and enough Republicans to pass the bill, actually did just that back in July. Before the election. The election in which Democrats gained in the Senate, won eight House seats, and kept the White House running specifically on ending the Bush tax cuts for the rich. Unbelievable.