Last week, the Obama administration went on the offensive against against Republicans, as the president argued for making middle class tax cuts permanent but arguing for higher taxes on the top wage earners. So what political calculation is behind this strategy? How much is complicated by some Democrats calling for all the tax cuts to be made permanent? How do Democrats define ‘rich’ and determine how much those people ought to pay in taxes? What will actually happen in Congress and how will this fight impact the midterm elections? We ask Michael Lewan, former chief of staff to Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.