History shows that when tax rate increases are enacted now in return for the promise of future spending cuts, we get the taxes but never the spending cuts. That's not surprising. No Congress can legally hold future Congresses to a promise of spending cuts.
How about we try the reverse? Spending cuts NOW with a promise to raise tax rates after said cuts take are enacted?
The super-committee failed.
ACross the board spending cuts are now planned, per the agreement before the SC was constituted.