Boehner Bows Down To Obama & Dems, Gives In On Payroll Tax Cut

Speaker Of The House John Boehner completely caved in to President Obama and the Democrats on Thursday evening, agreeing to vote in favor of a two-month extension to payroll tax cuts passed in the Senate.

Boehner had previously been forced to deal with an internal revolt of “tea party” Republican congressmen who balked at the middle-class focused legislation. Boehner reneged on an agreement to pass whatever had been negotiated between both parties in the Senate.

What ensued was near-absurdist Washington theater, with the Speaker and his top lieutenant Rep. Eric Cantor (VA) forced to publicly beg President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to return to Washington and ignore a bill the Senate had already passed. Obama and the Democrats stood their ground, pushing the burden of tax increases on the Republicans.

Boehner also felt criticism from Senate Republicans, including Sen. Scott Brown (MA) and Sen. John McCain (AZ) who urged Boehner to get his tea party caucus in line.

After days of silence, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) effectively told Boehner to take the deal that had been passed in the Senate, forcing a capitulation to the position of President Obama and the Democrats.

As a result, 160 million Americans will get a tax cut despite the efforts of the tea party movement.