The Republican Supercommittee Offer

Question for the supercommittee:

Suppose the real purpose of this exercise is to frame the choice for 2012. Dems are offering the country a path to budget balance that relies heavily on tax increases. Republicans are offering a path that relies more heavily on spending cuts.

OK, got it.

If that's the goal, shouldn't the Republicans be seeking to make their version of the choice as appealing as possible to as many people as possible?

Why does the Republican plan then join their proposals for still further tax cuts aimed squarely at the very richest? How is that a message to take to the country in 2012?

Wouldn't it be more sensible for Republicans to be proposing a plan to protect the favorable tax rates passed during the Bush years, while cutting spending and raising revenues in the least economically harmful ways?

Remember the  party already has a tax-cut agenda: to undo the tax increases imposed by the Affordable Care Act, which go into effect during the next presidential term. Repealing those tax increases and finding other ways to offset the foregone revenues is a big project already. Another 20% income tax cut alongside that agenda is really a bridge too far.