Crumbs from the table?

Brian Beutler has this at Talking Points Memo:

Senior White House officials tonight put a positive spin on the tax cut framework President Obama has agreed to with the GOP, while insisting, repeatedly, that they oppose -- and will only reluctantly swallow a two year extension of the Bush tax cuts. But the tentative deal is now subject to the consideration of Congressional Democrats who have already telegraphed serious concerns with the plan.

On a conference call with reporters, administration officials boasted of securing nearly $200 billion in new stimulus measures -- a one-year, two-percent payroll tax cut, and a year-long extension of unemployment insurance -- in exchange for giving the wealthiest Americans two further years of tax cuts. But though this framework will punt the tax cut fight into the 2012 elections, frightening a number of Congressional Democrats, the officials insist that they will not shy away from the fight as election season heats up..

So President Obama blinked first. While some might see this as a satisfactory compromise, I can't help but feel we've been badly let down. There is no reason that the GOP couldn't have been forced to beg much longer for their tax cuts for the rich. They should have been forced to take several more votes against middle-class tax cuts and UI benefits extensions. Or better still, simply refuse to play ball and come back fighting in January. Now people see the plutocrats grabbing theirs, and then (if they bargained in good faith) tossing a bone to the rest of us.