Reply #27: Of course he'll let them expire....but he won't say that during the election, he doesn't have to.

[cbdo2007]

His "record" now is that he extended them. That will answer any questions about what he'll do because he'll just say "Look at my record..."

It will be his second term so it won't matter if he raises taxes next time. This is all a chess game and part of the strategy to get him reelected. If he had not extended them, they would peg him as a tax increaser. He had to keep taxes lower to get reelected and next time he'll let them expire with 4 years left in the next term.

You'll all see, this is a fairly brilliant strategy and really the only chance to win in 2012. Even Howard Dean would have extended the tax cuts this year, to get reelected in 2012. ANYONE would have, that's the politics game. Of course right now they'll say they wouldn't - but it's different when you're in the oval office and need to get reelected.