Republicans are embarrassed and stuck in a corner. They want a way out. But it has to be a way out that leaves a scar on the Democrats...
Largely silent in the payroll tax fight in recent days, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, on Thursday suggested a possible way out of the standoff, proposing that the House pass an extension of the tax break while Senate Democrats commit to forming a negotiating committee to reach a long-term agreement. ...
...In suggesting that Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader from Nevada, name members of a House-Senate conference committee first proposed by House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, Mr. McConnell was trying to find House Republicans a face-saving way to go ahead with a vote for an extension but still claim they won some concessions from Democrats and the White House. Mr. McConnell’s recommendation was important given his long experience in negotiating his way out of tight jams in Congress. In his statement, he emphasized that any measure was likely to include a push for construction of a new oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. ...NYT
John Boehner can feel Eric Cantor's knifepoint at his back. Mitch McConnell is watching the Republican party take a beating. So they want concessions and a way to embarrass their opponents. This is the way McConnell phrased his plea:
“House Republicans sensibly want greater certainty about the duration of these provisions, while Senate Democrats want more time to negotiate the terms,” he said. “We can and should do both. Working Americans have suffered enough from the president’s failed economic policies and shouldn’t face the uncertainty of a New Year’s Day tax hike.” ...NYT
So persuasive! So diplomatic!
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Greg Sargent reports that a couple of nervous Republican members of the House have caved and may be followed by others.
These vulnerable freshmen want a chance to vote in favor of the Senate plan. If more start coming out with statements like this, the situation could snowball very quickly. Keep in mind that only two dozen or so House Republicans need to support the Senate extension for it to pass the House with overwhelming Democratic support. If House Republicans were hoping to gain leverage this week, this suggests the opposite may be happening as House Republicans return to their districts and hear from constituents.
If these two Congressmen are representative, then vulnerable House Republicans in similarly tough districts may feel like they’re being left dangling over the abyss by the GOP leadership’s current course. If that’s a widespread sentiment at this point, it’s hard to see how much longer this will last. ...Greg Sargent, WaPo
It's been White House and Senate versus John Boehner, says Sargent. But there is a problem for Democrats in all this and it's the same problem as before: Obama edges toward the right again. "Reid, McConnell, and Obama all hold identical positions at this point. The McConnell offer today is not a middle ground between Dems and the House GOP." If it nets him a second term and we toss the buggers out of Congress, we'll be congratulating him for his smooth moves. If not...
