[dhrishiasv]

LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,4910675.story

Top lawmakers predicted Sunday that a deal would be reached soon to renew the Bush-era tax cuts for all income levels and to extend unemployment benefits.

...

One day after Republicans blocked a Democratic effort in the Senate to extend the tax cuts for the middle class but not the very wealthy, it looked like a deal could be in the offing before the end of the week. The tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush expire at the end of the year unless Congress acts.

"I think it's pretty clear now taxes are not going up on anybody in the middle of this recession,'' McConnell said.

...

"I can tell you, without unemployment benefits being extended, personally, this is a non-starter," Durbin said. He called "unconscionable'' the notion that Congress would extend tax cuts to millionaires "and then turn our backs on 2 million Americans who will lose unemployment benefits before Christmas.''

...

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said President Obama was "not caving'' by considering an extension of the tax cuts for all income levels.

The president, Kerry said on "Meet the Press," insisted on the Senate votes Saturday "so that America could see what the Republicans are fighting for, and they could see what we're fighting for.''