Each rep wished to go home to children and spouse;
When what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a tax cut expiring at the end of the year.
The Speaker maneuvered to tie its extension
To a pipeline Obama would rather not mention;
But the President managed to win to his side
The bulk of the voters, who fitfully cried:
"On Boehner, Pelosi, McConnell and Reid -
Put cash in the pockets of workers in need!"
And Republicans claimed, 'ere they drove out of sight:
"We had all the votes, but Barack won the fight!"
House Republicans finally caved in the latest high-stakes Washington duel, over a two-month extension of the cut in payroll taxes to 4.2% from 6.2%. The issue provided a means for President Barack Obama to combine middle-class advocacy with tax cutting, a feat of political jiu-jitsu he could use in undermining the GOP House majority. Speaker John Boeher's bid to combine a year-long extension with the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline failed, as both the press and the public saw his party as the obstacle toward tax relief for the average family.
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment