Steve Kornacki has a great idea to let the whole kit and rebuttal expire...

[CreekDog]

20. two separate issues actually

the Bush tax cuts will expire on their own if nothing is done because there's a sunset provision in them at 10 years.

the fiscal cliff is mandated spending cuts congress voted on last year i think (with the debt limit increase). those would kick in.

so they are two separate issues.

but Obama's plan is to do less cuts to programs, more to defense, all tax cuts continue except wealthy
Republican plan is less defense cuts, or none at all, more to programs, Bush tax cuts continue forever

so we need a debt extension again, the tax cuts risk slowing the economy and both parties are needed to pass the a solution to both, but R and D plans are 100% opposite in almost every respect.

if nothing is done, all the tax cuts expire, massive spending cuts to defense and domestic programs --less gov't stimulus to an already struggling economy that will risk recession.

so that is the mess we face. it is solvable, but someone is going to have to budge and that makes me nervous.