The GOP payroll tax fiasco: Tea Party Tax hike on the middle-class

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told CNN yesterday that the fight over extending the payroll tax cut is “harming the Republican Party,” adding, “We’ve got to get this resolved and with the realization that the payroll-tax cut must remain in effect.” [updated with video]

Steve Benen reports at the Political Animal – The Republicans’ ‘payroll tax fiasco’:

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, one of the most conservative pieces of media real estate in the country, went considerably further today, blasting the GOP’s “payroll tax fiasco,” and mocking Republicans for “managing to lose the tax issue” to President Obama.

* * *

It’s worth noting that the WSJ editorial doesn’t seem especially enamored with the proposed tax break itself — the editors see “the entire exercise” as “political” — but it nevertheless seems amazed that Republicans are screwing up the fight this badly. Indeed, the Journal added that GOP lawmakers have “achieved the small miracle of letting Mr. Obama position himself as an election-year tax cutter.”

Assuring Republicans that “the political rout will only get worse,” the WSJ urged the GOP to “cut their losses and find a way to extend the payroll holiday quickly.”

In case this isn’t obvious, when congressional Republicans have lost the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, they’ve reached a humiliating level of failure.

But wait! The Tea-Publican treachery and cowardice reached new heights this morning. When Democrats tried to bring up the bipartisan Senate bill again this morning, Republicans actually walked out of the House chamber. These cowardly Tea-Publicans walked out and walked away from America's middle-class taxpayers. Political Animal – Literally walking away from a fight:

It was rather remarkable this morning to watch the proceedings on the House floor. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) wanted to try again to bring up the Senate’s bipartisan payroll-tax-break compromise, and instead of debating, Republicans literally walked away from the fight.

If you watch the clip, you’ll notice that Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), who was presiding over the House session at the time, got out of the Speaker’s chair and left the chamber altogether.

Other Republicans joined him. Hoyer, of course, noticed, and explained, “You’re walking out, you’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from middle class taxpayers, the unemployed, and … those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors.”

When Hoyer finished speaking and turned to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) to continue the debate, GOP leaders demanded that C-SPAN turn off the cameras so the public couldn’t hear the debate any more.

Classy.

It’s worth emphasizing that the House Democrats at this point really just want a vote on the Senate bill. Republican leaders gave their word that they would allow this, but then changed their mind [reneged on a deal] when they realized the Senate compromise might actually pass if brought to the floor.

I’d say this just about marks the point at which this fiasco went from tragedy to farce.

UPDATE: The GOP-friendly Neoconservative Washington Post is conducting an online poll. For what that's worth, the TanMan, Weeper of the House John Boehner is the biggest loser.