Democrats appear increasingly exasperated by Republicans’ resolve to extend all of the Bush tax cuts. After denouncing Republicans in a series of long and impassioned speeches on the Senate floor, a group of Democratic Senators including Claire McCaskill, Chuck Schumer, and Bob Menendez held a press conference to accuse Republicans of holding middle-class tax cuts “hostage” in order to protect tax cuts on high earners. Senator Menendez made the metaphor more explicit when asked whether he would be willing to compromise with Republicans: “Do you allow yourself to be held hostage and get something done for the sake of getting something done, when in fact it might be perverse in its ultimate results?” he asked. “It’s almost like,” he said, “the question of do you negotiate with terrorists.”