JUNEAU — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says an impasse over a payroll tax cut extension could mean a showdown between the House and Senate, or a meltdown.
Murkowski told reporters in Anchorage she believes Congress will break the impasse but she’s not sure how.
The House rejected a Senate plan extending a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for two months. Majority House Republicans sought negotiations on a year-long plan but the Senate has left Washington for the holidays. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ruled out talks until the House passes the Senate plan.
Murkowski called the Senate plan a reasonable compromise that provides time to find a more permanent solution.
Without agreement by year’s end, payroll taxes rise by nearly $20 a week for a worker earning a $50,000 salary.
Comments (9)
Add commentThe only meltdown is Murkowski
Pass the bill please!
The GOP plays Games while people suffer
I'm astounded. What the heck does it take? Either vote for it or not but quit playing games. I read the GOP as anti middle class through all of this and am truly wondering how they will keep their jobs. The Tea party does little but demonize any ideas not their own.
Boehner is a joke and wasted every time I see him speak. His eyes are red and he slures his words. As the daughter of an alcoholic and 30 yr Bartender....I can see these things.
The dems aren't keeping their part of the deal either.They seem a little too happy to watch the GOP self destruct. I'm so disgusted by the whole mess and wont be voting for ANY incumbents.
I'm at a loss of who to vote for!
It's time for term limits and a total revamp of campaign finance. We have to take our country back from the edge of ruin.
MamaT
"I read the GOP as anti middle class through all of this and am truly wondering how they will keep their jobs."
Answer: Idiot box
idiot box indeed
I agree with you there Lat58. The good ol' idiot box is a major, if not the primary source of our public's lack of genuine, relevant information. Aldous Huxley and his Brave New World lives!
We should have learned in
We should have learned in elementary civics that spending bills originate in the U.S.House of Representatives.
Once a bill passes the House, the U.S.Senate votes on it.
Should the Senate defeat the House bill, the Senate then votes on, & passes it's version.
Then the House, & Senate go to CONFERENCE ,& try to hammer out a compromise that will pass both chambers.
In this instance, the Senate is refusing to go to conference, & is attempting to force feed their version to the House. A co-equal branch of government.
I'm not worried about the
I'm not worried about the GOP. Their supporters are either dying off or are being scared off.
The party of Lincoln now more resembles the party of Mr. Magoo: short sighted.
Doesn't Matter to Alaska State Workers
Since this payroll tax cut is a decrease in Social Security deductions, and since Alaska state workers don't pay into Social Security, many in this town would rather not see a bill pass.....for a two-month reduction or a year-long reduction.
There's no benefit at all to State of Alaska employees. It actually hurts SOA employees, because it is basically a tax break that they don't get, but there is no reduction in federal spending. So SOA employees don't get the tax break, but they still have to help pay the bigger federal debt that this will create.
How about having Congress quit spending money frivolously! Instead of messing with the revenue side, start decreasing the expense side!!!
If you poked...
...your head outside your echo chamber, madison, you'd soon realize that the House passed a bill over a month ago that was loaded with all sorts of teabag nonsense. The Senate rejected it and crafted a more acceptable bill.
I hope the House stands its ground and doesn't budge. Obama's poll numbers continue to rise.
i didn't mean to say that about the GOP
it's really the welfare president that is harming everything. i am sorry but i'm not feeling myself today.
Ineptitude- The House passed
Ineptitude-
The House passed a bill that the PEOPLE who elected the majority of the House members would support, i.e. they are governing with the consent of the governed.
Unlike BO, Begich who govern against the will of the people,obama care being the poster child for their despicable actions.
Whatever...
You were lecturing about civics up above. The process was followed. The Senate, by a very wide majority, rejected the House bill and passed their own version.
It's called Balance of Power and is spelled out in the Constitution. You have an issue with the Constitution?
I hear there's a job opening in North Korea that you are highly qualified for.