Some Republicans have been self-critical in public during and after the payroll tax debacle. Others have been much more critical in private. The Washington Post reports on a "deep range of criticism."
In private, the criticism is more stark. Interviews with nearly 10 current and former congressional Republican advisers produced a range of deep criticism.
The most recurring critique was that House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) did not sufficiently warn Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) about House opposition to the plan, allowing even some of the staunchest conservatives in the Senate to support the legislation.
“If they insisted on going down this terrible political path, then at a minimum they all needed to stay here then, pounding the drum and demanding the Senate Democrats get back to work. They could at least own the microphones and put Obama in a bad situation with his desire to go to Hawaii,” said a Senate Republican strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely criticize the House speaker.
A former aide to House GOP leaders suggested that, at least while the lawmakers are home, they might hear from real people who are concerned about losing their tax and unemployment benefits. ...WaPo
Quite apart from what the loss in income means for working Americans, there is some justice: this will not be a happy Christmas for John Boehner.
On Tuesday night, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, said that the standoff is “harming” the party and that, in the near term, the House must relent.
“I think we have to recognize reality,” McCain told CNN. “And that is we are not going to see the payroll tax cut expire on the first of January. And we have to accommodate to that reality. It would not be fair to the American people at this time.”...... Boehner found sympathy but no strong defense of his position among the party’s current presidential field. ...WaPo
The Post's editors tell Boehner, "Just do it!"
... It is telling that the speaker, having promised a new, open House, refused to allow the Senate measure to come to the floor for an up-or-down vote, in which enough Republicans might have voted with Democrats to approve the measure.
The unnecessary disruption and economic drag of letting the tax reduction expire is unfortunate. But the real harm involves the failure to extend unemployment benefits. State-paid unemployment insurance would be available for the customary 26 weeks, but extended, federally subsidized coverage that has become routine during economic downturns would end. This is cruel and unwarranted at a time when there are about four jobless workers for every available position and two-fifths of the unemployed have been looking for work for more than six months. If the benefits are not extended, about 1.3 million people will lose coverage in January alone. ...WaPo
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The Hill reports that control of the Senate -- not the House -- is at stake. A report last night on NPR suggests that Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown's seat may go to Elizabeth Warren, whose star is rising in her home state, and in a race in which both candidates are vying for the title of "most populist." The Hill sees Brown's seat at risk:
Senior Republican aides have made clear in private conversations that their bosses are not happy with how House Republicans have handled a bipartisan Senate compromise to extend tax relief for two months.
“It’s not helping,” a veteran Senate Republican strategist said of the House GOP fight against the Senate package. “Senate Republicans are tired of paying the price for the lack of legislative thoughtfulness in the House.”
The political operative said incumbents such as Sens. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) could pay the price. ...The Hill
The criticism of the House debacle is coming most notably from Republicans in the Senate, including Mitch McConnell and John McCain. Senate Democrats are looking for a stronger majority in 2012.
