you could claim a mandate on that basis. two-thirds of the country believes in raising rates. not only do you have him campaigning on it and winning on it, be you have at the exit polls. look at those numbers, 47% think there should be an increase only on income over 250 k higher earpers, 35% no increase for anyone, 13% for all. so add 47 plus 13 is 60. that s a 60% issue. that math is right on in the uny. and in florida they tried to float a 20% corporate income tax break, the republican dominated legislature put it on the ballot and the people in florida rejected that soundly. the second thing i ll say that jonathan is right and your point about this, i don t think it s a repudiation of what john boehner said, the president is learning thou negotiate. one of the things that the left has criticized the president for is with negotiating with himself. he starts at the number he wants to get rather than starting at a number that s a negotiating position which is what you re suppo