Politico: Rep. Webster weighs in on out of touch Senate bill, calls for full year extension of payroll tax cut
Washington,
Dec 22, 2011 -
POLITICO
By: Marin Cogan
You could be forgiven for thinking that, with 10 days left before a middle class tax increase, the House GOP freshmen would be starting to sweat the political implications this game of chicken over the payroll tax holiday.
But you’d be wrong.
As they have for so many of the major legislative battles of the year, the freshmen framed the showdown with the Senate as a time to fight on principle, a prime example of why they were sent to Washington in the first place—the D.C. establishment be damned if they don’t see it similarly.
“Only in this town can being right be wrong. It’s the only place in the world where if you do the right thing you’re wrong. Are you kidding me? … If you can’t start doing what’s right for the American people then why the hell did you come here?” intoned Rep. Mike Kelly, a former University of Notre Dame football player from northwestern Pennsylvania who often takes on the modulation of a high school coach when the freshmen step forward to support their leadership in fighting with Democrats.
“We’re $15 trillion dollars in debt and these people are telling you this is how you should run your business? Give me a break. These people need to get out of here. They drink the Potomac water and they get infected,” he said.
If Republican House leaders cave in and cut a deal, the freshmen might be the last to know—and their support could be a wild card. But for now, they’ve dug in for a long Christmas week battle.
The freshmen argued that a one year extension is vastly preferable to a two-month extension (never mind that some in their party didn’t and don’t want to see the payroll tax holiday extended at all) and that they want an agreement between the House and Senate that provides certainty to middle class taxpayers and to the patients and physicians hoping Congress would come through a fix to Medicare reimbursement rates. And they’re convinced that their argument will prevail with the public.
They were defiant—even as friendly venues like the Wall Street Journal editorial page took House Republicans to task for what they called a political “fiasco.”
“Well look, I haven’t read what the Wall Street Journal writes. Usually I take with a grain of salt what I read or hear anywhere in the media,” said Rep. Andy Harris, a freshman physician from Maryland.
Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), a conferee, said that the editorial “was all about politics of situation,” rather than policy.
“Democrats blame Republicans for night falling every night. Democrats will blame us for anything. They all know that one year [payroll tax holiday extension] makes for better policy,” Harris said.
If there are any lingering doubts among the class about whether this strategy best serves their political interests, few are showing it. Only three members of the class—Reps. Jaime Herrera-Beutler of Washington, Chris Gibson of New York and Charlie Bass of New Hampshire—voted against the GOP proposal to send the bill to conference Tuesday.
“The media is going to write whatever the media wants to write but the fact remains that there is a process to work out differences between House and Senate,” Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.) said.
In interviews, several of the freshmen, including those from swing districts that helped give Republicans the majority this year, showed little concern about the political fallout of the payroll tax fight.
“Nobody wants to be blamed for something, but nobody wants to pass bad policy either,” said Rep. Dan Webster, a Florida lawmaker who picked up a Democratic seat in 2010. “If we came here for one election cycle and all we did was pass bad policy what reason would there be to return?”
“I only have one thing, that’s my vote. I’m responsible for my vote for two years. I’m not going to give it away to a senator or a bunch of screaming Democrats or anyone else. I will do what I think is right, in this particular instance, a two month extension hurts everyone … If there’s a consequence there’s a consequence. If we can’t explain it then we can’t, but I will do my best to explain it again and over again,” Webster said.
And so, with a deadline drawing nearer, the freshmen could end up playing a role not unlike the Confederate soldiers at the western-most outposts—standing firm while their generals face increased pressure to cave.
Most members of the class declined to take credit for their role in the House conference’s decision to buck their Senate counterparts on the deal.
“It’s absolutely conference wide,” Harris said. “Anyone who was on the GOP conference call or at the conference [meeting] this week realized it was not just freshmen, it was a fairly even mix.”
“I guess it’s a great talking point but its not accurate,” Adams said, of the freshmen in revolt narrative.
But their centrality to the conference committee is evidence of the important role they’ve played in support of leadership. Reps. Tom Reed and Nan Hayworth of New York and Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, all freshmen from swing districts, are serving on the conference committee. All three have been supportive of leadership in both voice and votes, even when they faced political risks in their districts.
Reed said the Republican conferees met Wednesday and will continue to meet tomorrow “to see [if there are] areas of common ground—but the bottom line is we’re not going to negotiate in the public with ourselves,” he said, “So we’re going to be very well prepared when the Senate comes to the table to move this along quickly.”
Reed, who told reporters earlier this week that he didn’t care about the optics of the fight, said, “my position when it comes to political implications has not changed.”
He, Hayworth and Ellmers will continue to be among the key players making the Republican case to the public in the coming days.
“I have a joyous heart and a clean conscience and I’m working as determinatively as I can to make this happen,” Hayworth said. “We’re making our case in the media, both locally and nationally, to help the public be aware of the implications of the Senate amendment and to help them to understand why it’s important that we fight through to the last day that we can to get them a far better plan.”
See Article Here
|
