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On the heels of a bleak jobs report, Senate Democrats will try Saturday to introduce a bill extending the Bush tax cuts for middle class earners who make up to $250,000.

If that doesn’t fly, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has got a compromise bill that would raise the threshold to $1 million.

They’re daring the Republicans to risk looking like toadies for the rich by stopping them.

A day ahead of the political game of chicken, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) accused the GOP of holding middle class tax cuts hostage. “It’s almost like the question, ‘Do you negotiate with terrorists?’” he said.

The GOP cried foul, but refused to agree to any bill that does not extend all tax breaks.

The White House and GOP leaders were reportedly working on a compromise bill that would extend the tax cuts to everybody on a temporary basis – and the GOP would drop its opposition to extending unemployment benefits to 2 million Americans.

If that doesn’t happen, 95,000 New Yorkers will see their benefits run out by New Year’s Eve.

Restoring the benefits took on new urgency yesterday when the Labor Department revealed the national unemployment rate hit 9.8% – a seven-month high.

“No question, the report is disappointing,” Vice President Biden said, adding that it’s yet another reason to extend the benefits. “Not only is it the right thing to do,” it makes economic sense – especially right before the holidays, when that money gets pumped back into the economy.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand echoed Biden’s remarks. “The new job numbers show that we need to extend emergency unemployment assistance for people that are out there desperately trying to find a job,” she said. “The economy is simply not producing enough jobs to support these families right now.”

The U.S. jobless rate has now topped 9% for 19 months straight – the longest period on record. In all, there were 15.1 million people unemployed in November.With Aliyah Shahid

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