Past GOP Congressional Players Warn Boehner To Fold On Payroll Tax

WASHINGTON -- The House GOP leadership's decision to draw a line in the sand over a one-year extension of the payroll tax cut has been second-guessed by Republicans and conservatives alike, from members of the Senate to the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

But the most illuminating criticisms may be those coming from former congressional players, who have argued that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is holding a terrible hand and have expressed disbelief in how poorly he and others have managed the debate so far.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, appearing on the campaign trail Wednesday, urged Bohener to cut a deal, saying that presidents win high stakes showdowns with Congress.

"Incumbent presidents have enormous advantages," said Gingrich. "And I think what Republicans ought to do is what's right for America. They ought to do it calmly and pleasantly and happily."

Gingrich's thinking may largely be a product of his personal experience as House Speaker -- though government shutdowns may have higher stakes than tax hikes.

But Gingrich isn't the only one making that broader point. A former House Republican leadership staffer who served just after the Gingrich era emailed The Huffington Post Wednesday night with the following quip:

"These House Republicans are like a bunch of drunk kids who want to take Dad's jag out for a joyride," the staffer said. "There is no guarantee they'll get home safe and there is a damn good chance they'll wreck it. And it's going to be expensive to fix."

These comments are coming from Republican officials who didn't exactly shy away from political fights, having served in what were considered deeply frictional Congresses at the time. But the payroll tax cut debate has tilted the political equilibrium in ways that have made conservatives uncomfortable. And already, members aligned with Boehner are scurrying for a way out.

"[I]f we can't get the Senate sign-off on a one-year extension soon -- in the next few days -- we're going to have to move quickly to extend the payroll tax for a duration of time less than a year,'' said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), according to the Wall Street Journal. "That may end up being two months."

Comments

[KenStAmour]

10:52 AM on 12/23/2011

You caved into these theives. Do you really think that they will allow the tax breaks to go further than 2 months. Good luck in your negotiations.

[Sundalecat]

11:01 PM on 12/22/2011

Boehner whined then caved, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, :)

[dcgraham45]

10:33 PM on 12/22/2011

Regardless of what is said by Republican politicians, particularly the ones in Texas that represent my district, I feel uncomfortable that they truly intend to work for the citizens of this country and those that they represent. I feel like they are working behind my back, cutting deals that benefit their campaign donors, their friends and their families. They appear almost arrogant when they speak on television, standing firm on their hatred of Obama and waving that flag in our face. However, I feel like they use Obama as a tool to get more donations, to get more from the voters and use that to stay in power. Secretly I think they would love for Obama to win another term, primarily because they don't have a candidate that can currently beat him, but most importantly they can use four more years of banking money.

[Sundalecat]

11:02 PM on 12/22/2011

I wouldn't put it past them. F&F!

[pk4obama]

12:01 AM on 12/23/2011

There are soooo many high ego's in the republican party that I believe, with the cast they have for their party to run against Obama; I truly believe they are trying to lose ON PURPOSE.... Obama is buried in issues and not one of those on that stage have any knowledge of what is going on in the world... then you have Rick Perry... Geez; So yeah, they are just playing who has the biggest ego; telling lies about our president, making unncessary remarks about Obama going to his home State of Hawaii for Christmas.... I mean really, this is soooo 5th grade.

[Tejascc]

07:01 PM on 12/22/2011

160 million middle class families and 13.9 million unemployed Americans are now poker chips in a game of high stake poker. Hold em, fold em, raise or call? Todays Tea House of cards were playing against a stacked deck. The senate GOP's, Wall Street Journal, some of the GOP POTUS candidates and a host of others were telling Boehner to fold but it took till the end of the day for Mr. B. to get his Tea Bags in line. God only knows what he had to give up to appease these traitors.

Remember Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011 on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012

[JuliaDemJules2020]

06:54 PM on 12/22/2011

The only job Boehner continues to do well is spreading his nasal germs.

[mc81360]

06:35 PM on 12/22/2011

The republicans high stakes poker turned into craps .

[nelore]

06:15 PM on 12/22/2011

It takes one to one one. Play high stakes game with the sitting President and they will lose. Dem congress lost with Bush and Boehner had his azzz handed to him..

[zatonoichi]

06:07 PM on 12/22/2011

It looks like it's almost at critical mass. This is the time when Scottie calls up to the bridge and says, "I canna give 'er na more, Cap'n! The toilets 'ave backed up into the warp drive!"
Yep, the repubs are about to blow themselves up.

After the last three years of unrelenting, vicious, pigheaded intransigence from these republicans, they've finally reached the tipping point with this one. Now, everybody--even the lockstepping rubes who vote for these fools--knows that NOTHING matters to these republicans as much as destroying Obama. Even if they destroy all the rest of us to get him.

This is going to blow up in the repubs' faces like a proton torpedo in the poop deck. They seem not to have gotten the memo that the newest-polled approval rating for this repub-dominated Congress is now at a historic EIGHT PERCENT! Eight percent. And yet, they are still trying to pull this schyttt. Unbelievable.

The harder they try to bring down the president, the further out on the tightrope they get--with nothing but a yawning abyss below. And they still don't get it. They might as well hold guns to their heads and dare us to make them pull the trigger.

[Iris Silver]

07:14 PM on 12/22/2011

I would fan you again for this comment. January will be interesting when unemployment is cut off & payroll taxes jump.

[majorg1000]

08:10 PM on 12/22/2011

Exactly!

[Iris Silver]

07:17 PM on 12/22/2011

Oh, that's right, 2 more months of payroll tax cuts.

[Guy Fratianni]

06:03 PM on 12/22/2011

They let in the Tea Party I guess in hopes of becoming stronger only to find out it cost them dearly

[Mikcl123]

05:39 PM on 12/22/2011

Eric Cantor, is without a doubt, the biggest idiot in washington.

[makemesmile]

05:58 PM on 12/22/2011

Eric Cantor, is only one of the biggest idiots in Washington, D.C.

[zatonoichi]

06:09 PM on 12/22/2011

Shhhhh! He's trying to overthrow Boehner!

[mc81360]

05:14 PM on 12/22/2011

Past GOP Congressional Players Warn Boehner To Fold On Payroll Tax .Don't they know it's very hard to fold a boehner .Groan .

[StinkyMoBub]

05:20 PM on 12/22/2011

It's all a matter of the angle of the dangle...

[Terri Skau]

06:10 PM on 12/22/2011

LMAO....Thank you

[mc81360]

05:08 PM on 12/22/2011

I wonder if Obama's numbers going up 5 points in the polls in the last 2 days has anything to do with the republicans changing their minds .Hmmmmmmmmm .

[MarsAmbassador]

04:54 PM on 12/22/2011

Republicans fight to the BONE to keep a tax cut for the rich in place and fight TOOTH AND NAIL to avoid giving working folks and the poor this pittance of a tax cut.

Anybody that doesn't think the GOP only cares about rich, white, Christian conservatives and corporations really needs to have their head examined. The proof is in the pudding, and the pudding is right in front of your face!

[Charles Carmichael]

05:18 PM on 12/22/2011

Bravo. Well said.
Maybe people are finally seeing these idiots as they really are.

[MarsAmbassador]

06:30 PM on 12/22/2011

I forgot to add 'male' into that list, too.

[opmik75]

04:43 PM on 12/22/2011

Hey, GOP frosh, activist or holder of political office? You can't be both.

If you choose politician then cut the best deal you can and live to fight another day. Elections matter and the sitting incumbent president is a Democrat that has the advantages incumbency comes with and you have your constituents to consider.

If you want to still be an activist (who doesn't have any constituents to answer to) then you are in the wrong line of work. Step down.

One can start off being a grassroots activist or advocate for sure. The problem is that when you go from that to holding elected office your job in a very deeply fundamental way is no longer in the role of activist but being a politician who cuts the very best deal WITHOUT harming the ordinary business of the country.

You GOP firstyears continue to do what you do do because you continue to misread your real role is in the political process. This misread has caused America to have our credit rating lowered. What's next? Who knows? What is for certain is that you're all playing a fiddle while Rome burns.

[MiMi LLawsonn]

04:40 PM on 12/22/2011

WASHINGTON does NOT have a CLUE what to do.....VOTE THEM ALL OUT OF OFFICE...and get someone who can LEAD the country....AMERICA can NOT STAND ANOTHER 4 years of this....
just look around....there are NO JOBS....and PEOPLE can NOT LIVE on AIR alone....

[research b4 you post]

04:46 PM on 12/22/2011

Things are getting better. You rely on rep lies and tricks to keep you ill-informed. If what Dems are trying to do is stopped now, things will slide back to 2008, you will blame Obama and the reps will be laughing at your, well can't think of right word but you get my drift.

[mc81360]

05:02 PM on 12/22/2011

Friends should not let friends vote republican or a great depression is in your future ..

[research b4 you post]

05:54 PM on 12/22/2011

They will still blame Dems.