What if Republicans gave the Democrats what they wanted?

Democrat's plans would increase unemployment and reduce growth rates.  For Republicans opposing the Democrat's proposals help the Democrats because the economy is better than it otherwise would have been.  At the same time, Democrats beat up on Republicans for being mean.

Take the unemployment insurance benefits.  It is pretty clear that higher benefits both increase the number unemployed and increases the length of time that people are unemployed. From The Hill newspaper:

Republicans are cool to a White House proposal that federal unemployment benefits be extended for another year.
Extending the benefits would cost $30 billion and was included in the first deficit-reduction proposal that President Obama sent to GOP leaders this week.
With talks to avoid the “fiscal cliff” seemingly at a standstill, Republicans are suggesting that the cost of extending the jobless benefits program could prove problematic.
"After spending $215 billion and adding $180 billion to the debt, more spending on federal unemployment benefits, above and beyond what the states already spend, would have to be carefully considered during fiscal cliff talks," said a House GOP aide. . . .

The same is also true for the higher tax rates that Obama is pushing.