Once upon a time, there was really only a “cliff” in regard to taxes. And that was a cliff written into the law by supporters of the Bush Tax Cuts. Now, there is an additional part of the cliff, this one also caused by Republicans in Congress who didn’t want to raise the debt ceiling once Obama was elected. There are a few other items—the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance, that are some of the items lumped in with the “cliff”. But for the most part, the big pieces of the cliff are GOP inspired. It’s not just Obama isn’t negotiating with himself. He also seems uninterested in bailing the GOPTeabag out of circumstances they’ve created. Although a lot of voters obviously stand to lose as a result as well.