It is raising taxes. We pay $x now. If an extension is not passed, we will pay $x+$y. Unless you fail at math, of course.
Actually, it's not, since you like the semantic game.
'Raising taxes' implies the Congress is taking action to 'raise taxaes'. But they're not. We don't say the Congress 'rose the sun' this morning even though it rose.
If the Congress does nothing, taxes rise. That's not Congress raising taxes, that's Congress doing nothing. The people who 'raised taxes' are those in 2001.
The 2001 Congress put into law that the cuts expire in 2010. They 'raised taxes' in 2011.
You can say this Congress did not take action to block the tax increase already in the law, but not that they 'raised taxes'.
That's the lie the earlier Republicans wanted you to fall for, since they lacked the votes to get them passes as permanent tax cuts.
It's simple - permanent tax cuts failed. That means the 2001 Republicans 'raised taxes in 2011' by putting into the law that they would rise in 2011.
You're trying to call doing nothing, leaving the 2001 hike in place, 'raising taxes'.
Your same wrong logic would say that if in 2001, they tried and failed to pass a bill lowering the top rate to 25%, that the Democrats now not lowering it to 25% is 'raising taxes' from the 25% rate that didn't pass to the current 35%, when in fact they 'did nothing' leaving 35% in place, as they are 'doing nothing' leaving the expiration of the lower rate passed ten years ago in place. When has the 2011 top rate ever been 35%? Never. So, the rate rises - but this Congress did not raise it.