Memo To John A. Farrell:

Liberals don't like the deficit commission's proposals because we realized right away that it's a massive wealth transfer to the wealthy.

Amazing how Farrell misses the point so adroitly. Or, again, maybe he's acting like Brooks. Hard to think otherwise when you read this:

It does away with the tax code’s preferential treatment of capital gains and dividends, and the awful Alternative Minimum Tax, and offers fairer and flatter rates for the overwhelming number of working-class Americans who take the standard deduction.

As should be immediately obvious, flatter rates are not fairer to the working class. And they aren't going to think that the AMT is "awful", because the whole point of the AMT is to ENSURE THAT WEALTHY PEOPLE ACTUALLY PAY THEIR SHARE. That's a constant struggle, and will continue to be a struggle long after the bill is passed and the top 1%'s pet accountants and tax lawyers find new shelters.

Oh, and John? Nobody gives a rat's ass about "bickering" in Washington. Not really. What they care about is the fact that they lost their jobs and the only jobs available are flipping burgers for a few shifts a week at minimum wage.