WHAT happened, Will?
Just because the President included it in his admitted "compromise" budget, the OP is saying it will never pass. Which it won't. The OP said that it will never pass - your post implies that it already has. WRONG.
You also mentioned that "Obama seems comfortable with given HIS OWN BUDGET. " He has already stated that he IS NOT comfortable with it.
WHY did he "put it on the table?" I have read many of your writings, I don't think you are a stupid man. I think you know exactly why he did it.
"It *will* impact the '14 elections"
Yes, it most certainly will. And I think that's why he did it. He put himself up as the "sacrificial lamb" of compromise. The Republicans asked for this, and then they rejected it. That only reinforces them as the party of Opposition. Democratic Senators and Representatives "jumped in" to reject and save it "for the Lower and Middle Class".
You may be correct given the Republican's "spin" historical machine that they could spin this the way you say.
But their "spin machine" seems to be broken. It is no longer resonating except with a very few. I believe that this action will only help us with the 2014 Election. With which we need help - 2014 is an off-year election and stats show that Dem policies show a low turn-out during off-year elections. Perhaps this is the wedge issue we need to GOTV. But enough of speculation:
You refer to speculation, whereas the OP refers to reality. Have any of these laws been passed? No. Are they likely to be passed? No. Therefore, the PO is correct while your post refers to "possibilities" that have not yet passed and there is some question about the probability of the events you describe happening in the first place.