22.12.11

House Republicans Eat Christmas Crow, Cave on Payroll Tax Cut

By John W. Lillpop


Just in time for Christmas, the Republican-led House of Representatives has reversed course and decided to serve crow as the main dish for their end-of-year meal.

As reported, in part, at the reference:

House Republican leaders have decided to accept a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut, sources told ABC News this afternoon, staving off a hike in taxes just nine days before a payroll tax break for 160 million Americans expires.

House GOP leaders appeared to be adopting a compromise suggestion by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who, earlier today, urged the House to pass the two-month extension in exchange for the Senate appointing members to a conference committee, which will negotiate a longer-term extension. The proposal won a nod of approval from President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.”

Thus ends, if only briefly, an ugly battle that saw millions of middle-class Americans trapped in the mind-boggling game that had Republicans opposing tax cuts!

Assuming the GOP can get its Senate and House leaders to unite between now and the end of February, the Democrats will resume their customary role as tax, tax, and more tax advocates while Republicans will resume the anti-tax stance that has served America so well.