This time they did so by acting like junior high student council members in refusing to compromise to keep the tax cuts for working Americans in place. That is right. Republicans virtually decided to raise your taxes with their actions in the House.
Here is how it happened. The United States Senate voted 89-7 to extend the payroll tax cut for working Americans for two months so the tax cuts would not expire during negotiations. Thirty-nine Republicans joined fifty Democrats in that vote. That is strong bipartisan support. Then, the House leadership decided to not agree to the two month extension, digging in their heels, and thus raising taxes on working Americans.
The negotiations in the United States Senate on the extension were worked out with both parties talking to one another and to the House leadership. But, as habit with the House lately, when the goal was met, it was suddenly moved again.
It shows how out of touch the US House leadership really is with people. In this economy, fifty dollars a month here or there makes a real difference in peoples lives. But, when you have total healthcare coverage, make six digits, and have a paid staff that defers to you, well, it is hard to actually know anyone, I mean really know anyone, who might miss a credit card payment, or make arrangements on an electric bill because of the defacto tax increase.
It is a growing problem. Not only in politics but in business, law, and other endeavors, a divide is growing in the nation. One that has not been seen in decades. Increasingly, people who are in trusted positions choose gamesmanship over statesmanship or leadership. They come up with verbal legerdemain to try to seem earnest about something such as "job creators," but the truth is that they care more about playing the game than serving the people.
That is why Americans are so frustrated, even during the holiday season. But, with Republican Congressional approval ratings hovering in the teens, this act of "bah humbug" might be the first step in the re-election of President Obama.
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