Is there any way that accepting the "fiscal cliff" framing of budget & taxes helps Dems?

[yurbud]

It's one thing to make a tentative deal with the GOP that will expire if they can't agree to a better deal, but why talk in terms of the "fiscal cliff" which is totally buying into the conservative position that the deficit and debt are the most important issues of the day, especially since they don't give a rat's ass about that when they control the White House.

Doesn't buying into that frame reinforce the GOP talking point that Democrats are profligate spenders who must be reined in by the more responsible and mature Republicans?

What would be so hard about saying "Republicans don't give a rat's ass about deficits when they control the White House or even when they control both chambers of Congress, and that is a matter of record."

OR

"These guys aren't interested in governing. Give me a Congress with both houses full of Democrats the way Bush had both full of Republicans, and then decide which party did better for you and your family when we had a free hand to govern as we see fit."

[Sekhmets Daughter]

1. I just read an interesting editorial written by a

conservative. His premise was that Republicans made a mistake by not allowing the Bush Tax Cuts to expire...which would have shown people, in the most irrefutable way possible, just how much 'big government' costs them. According to him, and this may be hyperbole,
the increased taxes on the top 2% will cover just three weeks of government spending. He said Obama won reelection because people were voting for 'big government' without having to pay for it. I hate to admit it, but I think he has a point. We have the EITC protecting the poorest from increased taxes, so just 53% of the nation is actually footing the bill for the federal government. There are not many people on DU who support the tax cuts expiring for everyone....

Aren't you a profligate spender if you spend money you don't have? Past generations of Democrats accepted higher taxes to pay for the things they wanted government to provide. Today, no one seems to think 'they' should have to pay.