Boehner, House Should Pass Senate Payroll Tax Cut Extension -- for Now (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama has contacted House Speaker John Boehner and urged him to bring the House back into session and pass the Senate's two-month extension of the payroll tax cut, according to the Associated Press. As a political consultant, I believe it would be in the best interest of Speaker Boehner to follow this suggestion. It might be the only option he has right now.

Boehner would rather negotiate with the Senate over the payroll tax cut. He believes it would be best to extend the cut for the entire year and to get the passage of full extension done now. The issue comes in the fact most of the senators have gone home for the holidays and it would be a bit of a nightmare to come up with a new bill, get it to out to everyone, discuss it, vote and have it on President Obama's desk by Friday.

If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Boehner can come to an agreement about making this a top priority once Congress comes back from break, I can see them getting the full year payroll tax cut passed. In the interim, the House needs to do something. At least get the two-month version passed and figure out how to negotiate with the Senate once they reconvene. Otherwise, we will have a payroll mess once the year starts without the passage of any version. The two biggest issues that come into play are Boehner's ego and the ability to have legislation passed in a timely manner.

The last thing Boehner wants (next to four more years with President Obama) is to lose face in Congress. He has made the decision to hold out for the full-year extension of the payroll tax cut. I can see him worrying about losing respect on the floor for giving in to the wills of the president and of the Senate. He might stand fast now simply to quell his ego. Instead, he needs to act to prove his leadership skills.

On the other side, Congress has proven over the last few years that very little can pass through its hands with ease. They may come back from break and try to table the discussions over the payroll tax cut and then rush to come up with something 59 days into the year. Hopefully, this does not occur.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111221/pl_ac/10730549_boehner_house_should_pass_senate_payroll_tax_cut_extension__for_now

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