Pure and simple: If you call Obama’s and Reid’s bluff by voting no, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a better deal with a Republican House in January. After all of the theatrical leftist agony over the compromise during the past two weeks, there’s only so much the Democratic leadership can concede. They won’t make the Bush tax cuts permanent and they won’t waive the estate tax for another year; the best you could do by holding out, I suspect, is to force Democrats to pay for the new unemployment extension by cutting elsewhere, but the GOP can spearhead all sorts of spending cuts to compensate for that next year. Just get the tax cuts locked in now. Especially since it sounds like enough House Democrats are ready to sign on:

House GOP leaders expect only 15 to 20 conservatives to vote against President Barack Obama’s tax-cut compromise, which would mean that only 60 out of 255 Democrats would have to vote for the legislation to secure passage — not a heavy lift, the majority says. The White House Tuesday said Obama and his economic team was making calls to House lawmakers to line up support for the plan.

Democrats Tuesday night seemed leaning toward structuring debate to allow a vote on changing the estate tax provision – a measure that would likely render the compromise dead if passed. But even staunch supporters of that change insist it has little chance in the House.

“The likelihood of it passing is not good,” said Ways and Means Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell (N.J.).

Separately, 31 Blue Dog Democrats gave the current deal a boost, sending House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter indicating their support for the bill.

If Obama can’t get 30 liberals in the House to help him out by voting yes, especially when virtually the entire caucus now holds safe seats, he really is finished.

Watch the clip in full, as Ryan comes out hard against this afternoon’s leviathan omnibus spending bill. As expected, GOP supporters of the tax cuts deal are going to use their opposition to that as cover with the base for voting for this. Exit question: Ryan voted for TARP, for the tax on the AIG bonuses, and now he’s voting for this. Are you guys sure you want him as Palin’s running mate in 2012? ‘Cause I’m thinking we might be able to land him as a speaker for RINOcon. Click the image to watch.