What happened in the House last night was a debacle, but the truth is that there's plenty of blame to go around.
You're not going to read it in the MSM, but you read it here: If Democrats really cared about protecting the middle class from tax hikes, they would have provided enough votes (35 or so) to pass Plan B in the House, especially given that the plan had originally been the Democrats.' But hey, House Republicans handed them a weapon, and they seized it.
Harry Reid had already said nothing was coming from the Senate -- not surprising since he hasn't passed a budget in three years -- even though Senate legislation could have been used to negotiate with the House's passage of Plan B and avoid the cliff. The reason? Supposedly, Plan B doesn't tax enough people for the Democrats.. . and because the Dems have no interest in any spending cuts, whatever the impending fiscal catastrophe in years to come.
The political malpractice is bipartisan. Republicans will be complicit in tax increases for middle income Americans because they wouldn't support a tax increase limited to millionaires -- and they have handed Democrats a tactical weapon the Democrats will use to try to destroy them, and sown dissension within their own ranks.
For their part, Democrats will be responsible for the across-the-board tax increases because they want to tax as many people as possible -- and because they simply want to benefit politically at the Republicans' expense, whatever the cost to the American economy.
What a crew.
As for the President, he's really irrelevant. By now, anyone with eyes to see knows that he has no interest in any serious negotiation, compromise or governance. If he doesn't get his way -- or reap a political advantage -- then he truly has no interest.
Absolutely appalling all around. And what's been lost in all the political posturing is any genuine concern for the best interests of the American people and the economy of this country.