I’d mentioned this idea a few times in passing. And a friend brought it up again yesterday. If the Dems don’t have the consensus stomach to force a vote on tax cuts for everyone on income up to $250k, why not just vote on both. Have one vote on cuts on income up to $250k and another on income above that number. The key is two votes; two laws. Divided up, I’m not sure how well the latter would fare. But President Obama has made very clear he opposes the second. So he can veto the latter bill, if it passes. The political crux of this whole scrum is simple. Bundle all the cuts together and the politics works for the GOP; separate them, and it works for the Dems. And letting everyone vote on both actually makes sense civics-wise too.
Will it happen? Of course not.