House GOP Backs Down - Again

(NOTE -- The frightened elephant above was found at the Australian site Honzablog.)

When the Republicans took over the House of Representatives after the 2010 elections, they thought they had the Democrats over a barrel. They figured they could force the Democrats to go along with their pamper-the-rich trickle-down economic policies (the same policies that caused the recession). But it hasn't necessarily worked out that way.

After the first few victories the Republicans had in cutting social programs, the Democrats suddenly discovered that had a backbone -- and they could use it to stand up to the Republicans. The discovery of this backbone coincided with the Democrats realization that most Americans actually agreed with their positions on many issues.

Last December, the Democrats (at the request of the president) introduced legislation to continue the payroll tax cuts for millions of working Americans. The Republicans initially opposed this outright, since it didn't contain any giveaways to the GOP's constituency (the rich and corporations). When they realized the unpopularity of that stance with voters, the Republicans decided they would pass the payroll tax cut -- but load it up with giveaways to large corporations.

But the democrats flexed the muscles attached to their newly discovered backbone and refused to compromise on the payroll tax cuts. At the last minute, and with growing public anger against them, the Republicans buckled and approved a two-month extension of the payroll tax cuts. They figured they could pressure the Democrats into giving them giveaways for the rich in exchange for extending the payroll tax cuts for the rest of 2012 when Congress met again this year.

But here it is in the middle of February, and the payroll tax cuts run out at the end of this month -- and the Democrats have once again stood firm. They know if the Republicans don't agree to the extension the voters will punish them for it in November -- and once again, the Republicans find themselves with their backs against the wall. They are in a no-win situation.

Yesterday the House Republican leadership (Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy) released a statement saying the Republicans would pass the payroll tax cuts -- and they would do it without trying to attach any garbage amendments to it. In plain language, they have once again backed down.

I hope the Democrats take this lesson to heart. The Republicans may want to include more giveaways to the rich and the corporations, but they will back down when they have to. And there are other issues where a majority of the public agrees with the Democrats -- like taxing the rich more, job creation through infrastructure building and repair, free contraception for all women, cutting corporate subsidies (especially on those exporting American jobs), protecting Social Security and Medicare, protecting and educating children, and cleaning our air and water.

The Republicans hold a losing position on all of these issues, and if the Democrats hold firm they can get most of what is needed. I'm not saying there is no room for compromise, but it must be a real compromise -- not a capitulation to Republican desires. An example would be the president's proposal to cut corporate taxes from 35% to the high twenties. This would be OK as long as the corporate tax loopholes were also eliminated so that profitable corporations will once again actually have to pay their taxes.

The Democrats are in a stronger position than many people realize. They need to take advantage of it -- and if the Republicans don't cooperate, make sure the voters know about their obstructionism when they go to the polls in November.