Reply #8: When you bargain down a murder charge, you can get yourself manslaughter instead.

[Selatius]

Look at it this way: You're basically negotiating with someone who wants to put a bullet in your head. You may be able to negotiate him down to simply shooting you in the stomach.

That's basically what is happening when you are dealing with Republicans. Personally, I would've rammed through a bill keeping the tax cuts for the middle class, and I would've rather watched things go to stalemate in the Senate and then blame the Republicans until I'm drunk off eggnog.