The deal

I agree with Ezra Klein that the deal supposedly struck between Obama and the Republicans is not too bad and better than was to be expected. We give the rich about $60 billion a year, and in return get about as much economic stimulus, focused on low- and moderate-income people, as we could hope to get. Liberals are threatening to filibuster, but this is what compromise looks like. Does anyone think there's any other way to get extension of unemployment insurance and the like? If the compromise is to be criticized it is for its effect on the deficit. I would've done the stimulus and paid for it by allowing the top tax rate to go back to 39.6. By doing both we dig ourselves into a deeper hole on the deficit. On the other hand, it has always made more sense to put off deficit reduction until after the recession ends, and nothing in this compromise makes that impossible.