Boehner changes his mind - again

Boehner Says House G.O.P. Opposes Deal on Payroll Tax
By RON NIXON
Published: December 18, 2011


WASHINGTON — A day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to extend a payroll tax cut for two months, House Republicans made clear Sunday that they would not support the measure.

Speaker John A. Boehner, who was among the Republican and Democratic leaders who on Friday had worked out a deal on the $33 billion package, did an about-face on Sunday and said he and other House Republicans were opposed to the temporary extension.

The Senate on Saturday approved by an 89-to-10 vote a package that would extend a payroll-tax holiday for millions of American workers, extend unemployment benefits and avoid cuts in payments to doctors who accept Medicare. The measure would be effective through February.

But in an interview with NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday, Mr. Boehner said the two-month extension, would be “just kicking the can down the road.”

“It’s time to just stop, do our work, resolve the differences, and extend this for one year,” Mr. Boehner said on ”Meet The Press” on NBC. “How can you have tax policy for two months?”