Why would they have caved?
Because they have. Always.
Because Republicans have poor and middle class constituents, too, who they need to satisfy in order to get reelected.
Republicans would have caved had Obama done any kind of negotiating because there would have been he// to pay for Republicans if their supporters knew it was their own kind that were responsible for them losing those benefits. Even if they don't realize that Medicare is "government healthcare", they know they don't want politicians touching their Medicare.
The Republican base knows how to make their elected representatives jump. Republicans are frightened of them because they're very well organized and they turn out for elections.
And when Harry Reid has exercised the discretion that Senate rule 22 gives the majority leader (to force Republicans to actually filibuster instead of merely threatening to), Republicans cave and extend unemployment insurance benefits.
Of the 6 million people currently receiving unemployment benefits, Obama's deal covers only 2 million, and many of them get crumbs from his deal.
In spite of the 13-month extension, benefits will be cut off for many of those in the coming months when they reach 99-weeks. And only 25 states out of 53 states/territories in/of the US have 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, so that's even fewer still.
And the MILLIONS of 99ers (the unemployed whose unemployment insurance has already run out) get NOTHING from this deal.
About Bush Tax Cuts
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
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