Politics: The House Always Wins

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Politics The House Always Wins Congressional Republicans are taking a beating for their payroll tax intransigence. That won't last. By David Weigel Posted Wednesday, Dec 21, 2011, at 01:28 AM ET Shortly after they cast their votes, squelching the Senate's two-month extension of the payroll tax holiday, House Republicans tromped over to the Rayburn room and aligned themselves as if posing for a class picture. At 2:15, House Speaker John Boehner arrived, found his place behind a podium decorated with a jobs.GOP.gov sign, and explained why Republicans had decided not to return the Senate's punt. Instead, they'd chosen to create a new conference committee, to hash out a new compromise, which they hoped to pass at some point. "This is the system that our founders gave us," said Boehner. "It is as old as our nation and as clear as the Constitution." "The president has just said he appealed to you personally," asked radio reporter Todd Zwillich. "He said, 'I need John Boehner to help out.' " "I need the president to help out, alright?" said Boehner. The Republicans around him broke up, laughing and cheering. Zwillich asked his actual question: Why not just vote on the Senate bill? "We've already taken up the Senate bill," he said. "We just did!" muttered one off-mike Republican. "We rejected it," said Boehner, "and we voted to go to conference." This is not all true, because the vote to go to conference had automatically nixed the Senate bill, and there would be no separate vote on the two-month punt. Washington will have to negotiate a whole new punt, the fourth compromise in a year designed to please no ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Gingrich Is Right: There Is a Huge Constitutional Problem With "Judicial Supremacy" Now on Sale: Occupy Wall Street Lego Sets! Is Rooney Mara Actually Good in Dragon Tattoo or Does She Just Look Awesome?	Advertisement
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