back on the republicans. mitch mcconnell is making them look like a fool vowing to block everything. john boehner s not compromising. for more let s bring in robert reich, former secretary of labor under the clinton administration, and of course professor at uc-berkeley and also the author of the book after-sho after-shock: the next economy in america s future. i tell you what that s got to be a good book. a lot of material to write about there. certainly. i hope that you read it. i will do it. robert, what s the president s best play right now in the midst of what s unfolded today with the hardline stand of mitch mcconnell? well i think he s got to take it s president s got to take a very harline in response and i think that mitch mb connell and in fact opens up the door for the president to take a very hard line and showing who s side he s on. the president should simply say look i m not going to extend the bush tax cuts for very wealthiest americans. they don t deserve it.