Leaders block quick Senate vote on payroll tax

Associated Depressed ^ | December 14, 2011 | ALAN FRAM

[YankeeReb]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional negotiations over a bill extending a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits can begin as soon the Senate rejects a version the House approved despite a White House veto threat, the Senate's top Democrat said Wednesday.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants his chamber to vote quickly on the House payroll tax bill, which includes Democratic-opposed spending cuts and language speeding work on an oil pipeline, to demonstrate how little support it has in the Senate. That could strengthen his hand in talks with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, over a compromise.

"The sooner we put this useless partisan charade behind us, the sooner we can negotiate a true bipartisan solution that protects middle-class workers" from a payroll tax increase, said Reid, D-Nev.

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, his opposite number, refused Wednesday to let the chamber vote quickly on the House measure. The Kentucky Republican said the Senate should first vote on legislation financing the federal government, because a temporary bill keeping agencies open expires on Saturday, threatening a government shutdown.

"We ought to finish our most immediate concern first," McConnell said, adding that Reid should start negotiating with Boehner on the payroll tax bill immediately.

Reid would not allow a vote on the spending bill. Democrats worry that if Congress passes that measure first, it would ease pressure on Republicans to reach compromise on the payroll tax legislation.

[YankeeReb]

Why isn't the GOP all over this? The 2 front runners should be calling Hussein out on this.

[newzjunkey]

This isn't the "front runner's" problem; they already had a chance to comment on the phony "payroll tax cut" in the last debate.

Obama lets, perhaps encourages, Reid to block bills so he can attack "Congress" as "do nothing" when dozens of bills go to the Senate to die and many never get an up or down vote.

Reid's Senate is obstructionist and avoids responsibility at every opportunity. There will again be no budget passed by his Senate.

[parisa]

Useless partisan charade

I thought he was called the messiah!