Boehner defends payroll tax deal

[ProSense]

Boehner defends payroll tax deal

By Ted Barrett.

Washington (CNN) -- House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, defended Wednesday the decision to move forward with a roughly $100 billion payroll tax cut extension that is not paid for, arguing that it was the only way to prevent a tax hike.

"We were not going to allow Democrats to continue to play games and cause a tax increase for hardworking Americans," Boehner told reporters on Capitol Hill. "We made a decision to bring them to the table so that the games would stop and we would get this worked out."

Congressional negotiators reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits while avoiding a fee cut for Medicare doctors, according to multiple legislators and aides.

The payroll tax cut, a key part of President Barack Obama's economic recovery plan, has reduced how much 160 million American workers pay into Social Security on their first $110,100 in wages. Instead of paying in 6.2%, they've been paying 4.2% for the past year and two months. The break is worth about $83 a month for someone making $50,000.

- more -

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/15/politics/payroll-tax-deal/index.html

[Enrique]

1. it doesn't make any sense

he's trying to baffle 'em with bullshit.

[ProSense]

2. Kick! n/t

[customerserviceguy]

3. We'll see what happens

when he has to get tea party votes, or Rethugs who don't want to get primaried by tea partiers.

[spanone]

4. spin it johnny, spin it