Obama's Tax-Cut Strategy Won't End Polarization

Background at The Hill, "House passes temporary extension of Bush-era tax cuts, 277-148."

But I'd say LAT's got the right takeaway, "Obama's tax-cut strategy may falter on other fronts":

President Obama's year-end deal-cutting with Republicans, which produced an important compromise on extending George W. Bush-era tax cuts, has come to represent what White House officials see as a successful template for the president's role on other issues heading into a contentious 2011.

By emerging as a mediator, Obama showed a way of doing business that many voters were expecting but didn't see during most of his first two years. As a result, White House aides now feel they have "a little wind at our back," a senior White House official said. That could help point the way on other issues, such as trade, education and energy.

But as the tax deal was wrapping up, there were few indications that Washington's partisan divide has eased. If anything, the gulf is likely to widen as a new, more conservative Congress is sworn in. Chances for repeating the bipartisan compromise that led to the tax deal stand to be sparse, many analysts think. Governing is likely to become even messier.

And interesting piece from David Dayen, "GOP Gets Chance to Cut Spending in February After Omnibus Collapses." (At Memeorandum.) Looking at the issues the GOP traded for a deal, I doubt conservatives will simply give up the fight. The New York Times has more on the congressional politics, on DADT and START: "Bid to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask’ Law Draws Support in Senate."