President Obama, you were re-elected on a promise to reduce our budget deficit in a "balanced" way, with $2.50 in spending cuts for every $1 of additional taxes we are burdened with.
The CBO has scored today's "fiscal cliff" bill as including $620 billion in new tax hikes, with only $15 billion in spending cuts. In other words, about $0.02 in spending cuts per $1 of new taxes. This is not to mention the end of the payroll tax holiday, which will increase the average American's tax burden by about another $1,000 a year.
In short: the current state of budget negotiations do not inspire confidence that you intend to keep your promise. The American people have noticed.
Get behind your promise and lead your party in good-faith negotiations to fulfill your promise to reduce spending.