dumb question about the fiscal cliff

[Prometheus_unbound]

3. .

One correction: the fiscal cliff will not have tax cuts, but tax hikes on the rich.
This would be very nice, except that by increasing revenues and reducing spending so quickly, we are reducing overall demand.
People would have less money to spend, and government would spend less.
The result of this demand crash, in our depressed economy, would be to kill or at least maim the recovery.
The hope is to negotiate a slightly slower deficit reduction.

(my personal opinion is that hitting the cliff wouldn't be too bad, but you're free to dissent)