House Passes Two-Month Payroll Tax Cut Renewal
- Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:11am by
Billy Hallowell
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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, (R-OH) (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Congress on Friday approved a two-month renewal of payroll tax cuts for 160 million workers and unemployment benefits for millions, handing President Barack Obama what will will likely view a victory for his jobs agenda.
Back-to-back voice vote approvals of the measure by the Senate and House capped a retreat by House Republicans who had insisted that a full-year bill was the only way to prevent an immediate tax increase on Jan. 1.
The measure passed despite lingering hesitations from tea party Republicans. It buys time for negotiations early next year on how to finance a year-long extension of the 2 percentage point Social Security payroll tax cut.
It will keep in place a salary boost of about $20 a week for an average worker making $50,000 a year and prevent almost 2 million unemployed people from losing jobless benefits averaging $300 a week.
Passage in the House – Friday’s action on the measure took less than a minute – capped a swift retreat by House Republicans. Their move to force a holiday season confrontation with Obama and Senate Democrats had threatened to hit 160 million workers with a tax increase on Jan. 1. But it backfired badly.
Just 24 hours earlier, House leaders had insisted the only way to prevent that tax hike and a phase-out of jobless benefits for people out of work for more than six months was to pass a full-year renewal.
Those goals had been embraced by virtually every lawmaker in the House and Senate but had been derailed in a quarrel over demands by House Republicans for immediate negotiations on a long-term extension bill. Senate leaders of both parties had tried to barter such an agreement among themselves a week ago but failed, instead agreeing upon a 60-day measure to buy time for talks next year.
Thursday’s decision by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to cave in to the Senate came after days of criticism from Obama and Democrats. But perhaps more tellingly, GOP stalwarts including strategist Karl Rove and the Wall Street Journal editorial board warned that if the tax cuts were allowed to expire, Republicans would take a political beating that would harm efforts to unseat Obama next year.
House GOP arguments about the legislative process and what the “uncertainty” of a two-month extension would mean for businesses were unpersuasive, and Obama took the offensive.
Friday’s House and Senate sessions were remarkable. Both chambers had essentially recessed for the holidays but leaders in both parties orchestrated passage of the short-term agreement under debate rules that would allow any individual member of Congress to derail the pact, at least for a time. None did.
The developments were a clear win for Obama. The payroll tax cut was the centerpiece of his three-month, campaign-style drive for jobs legislation that seems to have contributed to an uptick in his poll numbers – and taken a toll on those of congressional Republicans.
This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
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Comments (159)
Free-in-TX
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:43amBoehner is proving, yet again, to be completely complicit and spineless. Have a good cry on this one too Mr. Speaker. Thanks for sticking to the principles….tool……
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:56amThese guttless wonders didn’t even take a roll call vote so we would know who the sellouts were … THROW THEM ALL OUT!
TEA!
Report Post »randy
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:02amI came here to see which progressive republican traitors voted for this bull, but of course.
Report Post »Does it surprise anyone they did not take a roll call vote?
COWARDS! Time to clean house!!!
Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:18amBoehner cryed, now we cry.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:28amHe plays golf with Obama , wat do u expect out of a cry baby.
Report Post »stuartr44
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:33amWhat election? We need to have leadership, where is it? We all know where there is none. Why not pick a fight and then stand up and actually fight!
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:34amSkinny Obama is beating up a cry baby.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:43amY do they call this a tax cut ? Fauls, wrong,& we have them represent us, WTH ?
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:46amA trader is worse than the enemy.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:03pmOh, goody. We get to go through this whole thing again in two months. Right along with the Federal Debit extension up to, I’m guessing here, about $16.8 Trillion, again. But, don’t expect to see a federal budget. Fiscal responsibility is only a concept. Like the Constitution, it’s out dated.
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:49pmI noticed all the FOX commentators were on Obama’s side on this. The chastized the Tea Party guys.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 1:16pmrandy
Report Post »Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:02am
I came here to see which progressive republican traitors voted for this bull, but of course.
Does it surprise anyone they did not take a roll call vote?
COWARDS! Time to clean house!!!
_______________________________
A single Tea ****** in congress could have objected and forced a vote.
DeepintheHeart
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 2:15pm@CATB Call a Roll Call vote? Since most are home in their districts that would be kind of difficult!
Report Post »gm4363
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 3:18pmIf you recall, this is EXACTLY what Gingritch did as Speaker. He would take a stand on some meaningless matter, let the Republicans get beat up for a week, then capitulate. Over and over again. I was a Goldwater Republican until he tied some disaster relief to an unpopular bill. The Republicans were beaten up unmercifully, he finally caved like always, and I marched down to the Supervisor of Elections and changed my registration to “independent”. We have short memories, but they don’t. Same old game, different faces.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 4:54pmWhat are we paying these idiots for? What good is a two month extension on a tax break that = like $3 or 4 dollars a paycheck for most? If you can’t extend it for at least a year, why bother with 2 months. I think all congressman need to forego their pay until such time as they can have a balanced budget. They don’t deserve a dime.
Report Post »nick7
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 8:00pmAs Glenn always said [paraphrase] While the right hand is at work, watch what the left one is doing.
While the Charlatan was at work, and Congress was tossing silly remarks back and forth and, in general yapping about a near pointless bill, the senate passed a One Trillion Plus spending bill for 2012. Just what the Charlatan and his pawns wanted. Thus, we can look at a deficit of $15 Trillion plus whatever slithers by. Nice going patriots !
Report Post »YOUR NOT GETTING MY GUNS
Posted on December 24, 2011 at 10:00amWhy arent people P.O’ed that this is a cut on Social Security and Medicare? This cut comes out of the FICA fund. At least they should have the balls to call it what it is. The gutting of Social Security instead of this sugar coated tax holiday B.S.
Report Post »1776freedomofspeech
Posted on December 24, 2011 at 11:37amOK, so in two months we are back to the same BS. Should have been a 12 month deal. Now the tax paperwork is jacked up, nobody won anything accept a public relations power play.. I guess that was part of the democrats plans and the idiot public bought the administrations BS; hook, line and sinker.
Report Post »stormdwhitehouse
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:40amJust as I thought would happen. Alot of political posturing and then a compromise. and we get screwed on this oil pipeline we know little about. This only shows the truth as the republicans are no better than the democratic party. Its all about staying in power. one side or the other. not about us .
Report Post »C. Schwehr
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:00amYou were expecting something else?
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:10amIt’s not the republican party, it the leadership, the RINOs that are really democrats, it’s them we need to get rid of, well I guess everyone that voted for ***** to be the speaker, talk about electing a traitor, Jesus.
Report Post »Raging Goose
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:37amThis was a fiasco and totally blown deal by the right and I’m quite pissed about it. We have no one in either chamber with the balls to speak up and tell America whats happening when the Dems pull their *****……….. Pretty sad actually, I think its time for the Christies and Rubio’s of the party to step up now not 4 years from now as it will be way to late! Oh and get Bonerhead out of there and insert Paul Ryan as Speaker.
Report Post »stormdwhitehouse
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:44amSorry man its already too late. We are all screwed. Soon it will be damage control.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:47amDear Santa .. what I want for Christmas ..
Pitchfork
Tar
Feathers
Rail
Ticket to Washington D.C.
TEA!
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:51amAmen!! Otherwise it’s just SSDD…. Business as usual inside the Beltway…..
Report Post »SAXMAN
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:36am$1000 per person per year… Hmmmm
$20 Per week
2 month extension
$20 X 8 weeks = $160.00 per person
Political theater…. Priceless….
Report Post »Merry Christmas…. US Congress
AhLeahIris
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:41amYeah, as this guy points out, Boehner surrendered on more than mere legislation: http://wp.me/p1HGwx-1Mk
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:02pmIf u make 50k. It’s not a tax.
Report Post »Redmanblackdog
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:32amThe media and the liberal dums or I mean liberal dems, are trying their best to make us look stupid and inept. We need to keep harping on the debt, borrowing 40 cents on the dollar and going broke!
It kind of appeared like John Boehner was in on this to me. Funny how he let everyone go home, says he is going to stand and fight, and then lays down.
What was the tea party congressman to do in this instance? Get rid of ALL Rhinos! Including Boehner, and Cantor.
The Lame Street Media is sickening! I sure hope the American people wake up. This wasn’t a fight for tax relief, this was a fight over defunding Social Securtiy!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 3:50pmYou are doing a good all by yourself. Anybody, other than an Ayn Rand cultist would understand that you need to infuse the economy with captial at times like these. Debt is no the issue, employment is.
Report Post »mertmag
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:31amBohner has got to go! Alan West for speaker! And when we take the senate Marco Rubio for senate leader! Young guys that talk straight and know how to take the fight to the corrupt left!
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:04pm4 president , we nead a leader !
Report Post »MEANS2RESIST
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:11pmVote in all new blood if in fact we are able to hold an election. Look for obas*ard to pull some funny stuff along the lines of a false flag terrror attack possibly putting the blame on domestic groups so they can continue tightening the vice upon us. Spineless weasels just wanted to go home for Christmas break.
Report Post »jared2525
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:31amThe truth is not one president or congress has paid off the debt since Andrew Jackson. A lot of people to blame in between then and now. I would have no problem paying more taxes if I knew either party wasn’t going to just hand it over to their doners, unions or business. We all know government hands out our hard earned cash like we didn’t work our as$es off for it. I say stop the waste and pork first then raise my taxes. However if going to take my tax dollars and hand it over to solyndra, city or g.e. I will never be okay with a tax increase. If Jackson would have passed a balanced budget amendment our tax rates would be 5 to 10% and easily could afford health care. Debt has consequences. It doesn‘t matter if my wife maxed out the credit card I’m still responsible. Start with waste, fraud, and kickbacks and American attitudes on taxes will change.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:49amJackson raised Revenues in order to reduce Debt — Calvin Coolidge reduced Taxes, increasing revenues, and retired Debt!
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:31amHey, did we get a budget yet?
Report Post »chershaw8
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:29amBastards…. seems to be the word of the day…..
Report Post »Joe Schmuck
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:41amDitto
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:29amI 2nd that !
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:28amThis is… a Cut & Defunding of Social Security (FICA = Insurance Payment via Payroll)! Why would anyone want this? Which Party contains the most IDIOTS?
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:06pmWell said, God bless u.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:27amWell, whoopdefriggindo….
Report Post »jopmur
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:27amBoehner needs a new job, Walmart stock boy would be my choice.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:41amI think that is above his pay grade .. don’t they put the old guys as “greeter”.
Report Post »Stopit
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:49amDon’t forget McConnell…dipwads lost all the battles since 2010, and can’t even communicate the anti-marxist rationale with any vehemence. I thinks it‘s because they don’t really believe anything except surfing the public opinion polls to retain and gain power.
Report Post »orthodoxc
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:50amPerfect place for it. That would mean that I‘d never have to look at it’s stupid rino mug again!
Report Post »jopmur
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:12amYea, I thought about a “Greeter” but that would mean everyone who walked through the door would have to look at him. A 3rd shift “stocker” would limit his exposure to the public and he could inhale the nitrous oxide from the Whipping Cream cans when nobody was looking.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:53amMop on aile 3 , floor is wet from tears.
Report Post »NSDQ
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:24amPathetic, No Leadership What’s So Ever! … TERM LIMITS!!! Lets Flush This Proverbial Toilet!!!
Report Post »chancetexas
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:30amWho cares!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Joe Schmuck
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:43amI’ve been flushing twice for years because it had to go all the way to DC. I worked and now I’m paying for it.
Report Post »randy
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:05amYep, 1st a courtesy flush to get the stench out, then another to send the cr@p swirling down the drain.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:17pmTreatment plant will be working hard.
Report Post »klevalt
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:22amSpineless bastards… ALL OF THEM!!!
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:22amIn other words…..the big secret…
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS…EXTENDED, AGAIN!
Meanwhile, Social Security funding by ALL who receive paychecks…CUT!
So, who is cutting the life of Social Security?I
Report Post »It was just the Democrats, but now the Republicans jumped on board too.
Gonzo
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:30amDon’t worry, the Chinese are paying for all of it…for now.
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:22amWhat happened to the MOST important thing, the 20,000plus jobs?
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:23amWe got scr*wed on the pipeline … b tards.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:22amIt’s a bizarre day when the GOP is using the threat of raising taxes as a political position while the Democrats are trying to keep the rate lower. Glad the House finally came to its senses; now, can the kids play nice and make the rate last for the rest of next year?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:56amIt is dangerous to “play nice” with a person whose goal is to destroy your house and family.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:22amChalk another one up to the Deficit Exploding Democrats. Just wish these idiots believed in a healthy capitalist economy as much as they believe in Manipulating the Media and marching America into a Third World, Marxist State. The Democrats‘ endless Alinski ridicule and Character Assassination tactics of the Tea Party’s attempt to curb spending has proven that Media Manipulation pays. That’s the tool that enabled another mobster regime to stay in power for so long…. Just hope it is not too late to safe America . ( Part of the Alinski “pester your opponent to death ” tactic is based on having them get so dispirited that they give up. Is that what just happened here Republicans ? ) Kicking that can down the road until the Piven System Collapse ?
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:21amI just wet my pants…..NOT
Report Post »Holland
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:21amWorthless….completely spineless worthless.. just like Fox news….
Report Post »orthodoxc
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:20amI am so sick of ***** and the rinos in congress. It is time to kick their a**es out of offfice and find away to keep them away from holding even appointed positions. As far as I’m concerned we need to make any public official accountable for any shenannigans that the pull while in office and no country club jail sentences, HARD TIME!
Report Post »thekuligs
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:20amCOWARDS every last one of you! Don’t you realize the people who supported you are the ones that keep you in office. Those who hate you are the ones that would vote for a dog so long as it was a democrat, over you!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:16amTake names and throw them OUT! Starting with BOHNER!
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:23amAmen, Breau
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:36amBe nice to John “boy” Boehner he will start crying– .
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:38am10:05:02 A.M. H.R. 3765 Considered by unanimous consent. H.R. 3765 — “The title of this measure is not available.”
10:05:06 A.M. H.R. 3765 On passage Passed without objection.
10:05:15 A.M. H.R. 3765 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
****************************************
10:08:29 A.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to section 3(b) of H. Res. 493. The next meeting is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on December 27, 2011.
*****************************************************************************************
Report Post »It took them less than 9 minutes to sell out .. and that included a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance (what a joke!)
CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:42am@AJAYW
I’ll give him something to cry about! That is what my dad always said to me …
Report Post »Joe Schmuck
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:48amThanks CATB …. sickening
Only 9 minutes to achieve an OBASM!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:02amHere is the link to todays “actions” .. ugh!
http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.aspx
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 11:29am@CatB
I live where my vote counts for him– I know he won’t get mine when he runs again. I will work like he$$ to get him beat.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:16amSo once again we see the progressive old guard making games of the nations future while the monster meteor of the collapsing economy still is inbound and will hit with massive fource.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:16amHow is Obama‘s two month extension VS the House’s 12 month extension a “resounding victory” for anybody? That whole take on the situation is upside down.
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