Redstate
Why John Boehner Must Not Fold on Tax Rate Increases
By Erick Erickson
December 6th, 2012 

Often things get lost in the daily grind of politics. The fact that the GOP is willing to raise taxes gets lost by the media because the media wants the GOP to raise rates. 

This Politico story makes very clear John Boehner must not raise rates. Better to go off the cliff than raise rates. 

In a meeting with leadership staff, [Rob] Nabors reiterated the administration’s hard line that tax rates on top earners must go up, according to Republican sources with knowledge of the meeting. The White House is also insisting that Congress give it power to raise the debt limit on its own. 

Furthermore, in a development that could signal a step closer to the fiscal cliff, Nabors said the White House’s offer stands on mandatory spending on entitlement programs, the sources said. 

But another source familiar with the discussion offered a conflicting take, saying Nabors repeated that Obama isn’t wedded to every detail of his plan. Nabors also conveyed that, once Republicans move on rates, “they can get a deal very quickly,” the source said. 

Why would every other issue move quickly if the Republicans would just agree to raise rates? Because of two issues. 

Read the rest of the article at Redstate