you think we re going to escape the blame on january 1 if we fail to act? a couple making $80,000 a year, according to h & r block, two wage earners making $80,000 combined income will see their first paycheck in january, $221.84 less than it would be otherwise, they will end up with $443 less in their first month s worth of pay if all the tax rates go up, and obama can be making the point we re going to be blamed for this, you re going to be blamed for it, i m going to be blamed for it and democrats are going to suffer if we don t get this done. martha: and that can be pretty painful in 2012 if that s the case. you just touched on the fact that republicans are angry about this, too, jim demint and vown vich have both said they re going to vote against it, there s a number that may sound like they vote against it. let s listen to this from lindsay graham yesterday. i think the president is unpresidental. he s got a political problem, he should be a leader. it is a good deal for the c