Taxes are on the table because the cuts were scheduled to expire at the time they were implemented years ago.
They were set to expire because Bush got them in through reconciliation since he did not have Democratic support at the time and could only make them temporary.
If he could have worked a compromise with Democrats he could have put in permanent cuts that weren't as deep.
At the time there was a surplus and there was concern that the debt would actually shrink too much and too fast.
The cuts put in instant and great deficits.
The rise in average income over the past ten years has gone almost exclusively to those in the higher tax brackets as median income has been stagnant.
If you take taxes off the table, then taxes go up since they are scheduled to go up.
Democrats have agreed to lower taxes way beyond what they would have in 2003.
The plan that passed the Senate lowers taxes for 100% of all tax payers.
Those with taxable income above 250 still get the cuts for the first 250 if the House passes the Senate's bill.
If not, then those above 250 have their taxes go up a lot more along with everyone else.
And payroll taxes go up 2% but that doesn't effect the amount people make above $110 K so the pain isn't really just being added to the top 2%.
The Republicans are being offered a pretty sweet deal right now if you look at it on comparison to anything in the past.
The Republicans controlled all three houses in 2003 and needed Cheney to break a tie in the Senate.
The current Democrat plan looks very Republican yet the Republicans won't pass it.
So all rates are going up.