GOP frosh dig in hard on payroll tax

You could be forgiven for thinking that, with 10 days left before a middle class tax increase, the House GOP freshmen would be starting to sweat the political implications this game of chicken over the payroll tax holiday.

But you?d be wrong.

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As they have for so many of the major legislative battles of the year, the freshmen framed the showdown with the Senate as a time to fight on principle, a prime example of why they were sent to Washington in the first place?the D.C. establishment be damned if they don?t see it similarly.

?Only in this town can being right be wrong. It?s the only place in the world where if you do the right thing you?re wrong. Are you kidding me? ? If you can?t start doing what?s right for the American people then why the hell did you come here?? intoned Rep. Mike Kelly, a former University of Notre Dame football player from northwestern Pennsylvania who often takes on the modulation of a high school coach when the freshmen step forward to support their leadership in fighting with Democrats.

?We?re $15 trillion dollars in debt and these people are telling you this is how you should run your business? Give me a break. These people need to get out of here. They drink the Potomac water and they get infected,? he said.

If Republican House leaders cave in and cut a deal, the freshmen might be the last to know?and their support could be a wild card. But for now, they?ve dug in for a long Christmas week battle.

The freshmen argued that a one year extension is vastly preferable to a two-month extension (never mind that some in their party didn?t and don?t want to see the payroll tax holiday extended at all) and that they want an agreement between the House and Senate that provides certainty to middle class taxpayers and to the patients and physicians hoping Congress would come through a fix to Medicare reimbursement rates. And they?re convinced that their argument will prevail with the public.

They were defiant?even as friendly venues like the Wall Street Journal editorial page took House Republicans to task for what they called a political ?fiasco.?

?Well look, I haven?t read what the Wall Street Journal writes. Usually I take with a grain of salt what I read or hear anywhere in the media,? said Rep. Andy Harris, a freshman physician from Maryland.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), a conferee, said that the editorial ?was all about politics of situation,? rather than policy.

?Democrats blame Republicans for night falling every night. Democrats will blame us for anything. They all know that one year [payroll tax holiday extension] makes for better policy,? Harris said.

If there are any lingering doubts among the class about whether this strategy best serves their political interests, few are showing it. Only three members of the class?Reps. Jaime Herrera-Beutler of Washington, Chris Gibson of New York and Charlie Bass of New Hampshire?voted against the GOP proposal to send the bill to conference Tuesday.

?The media is going to write whatever the media wants to write but the fact remains that there is a process to work out differences between House and Senate,? Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.) said.

Source: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70761.html

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