Looks like the tax compromise negotiated by the president and the republicans will probably pass, even though a lot a Democrats are claiming to be upset about it. My guess is that deep down congressional Democrats know they couldn’t have done any better, this is a congress that even with big majorities in both houses couldn’t deliver on repealing don’t ask don’t tell, and couldn’t manage to get a public option passed. I doubt they would have been able to get unemployment benefits extended or any kind of tax breaks for low-income people, so maybe they should just shut up.
With that said I still think the best thing that could happen would be to let the budget busting Bush tax cuts come to an end, but in the current climate my guess is the tac cuts are here to stay and Democrats may as well get something worthwhile for them.