Is it time to replace House Speaker John Boehner? Let’s look at the recent temporary payroll tax holiday extension. Boehner let the Democrats and Obama play him into their trap. The Senate passed the extension for two months. This in itself is a poor piece of legislation, it makes no sense. This extension will leave many business unable to reprogram their payrolls. What businesses operates two months at a time?
It is said that Congress will reconvene after their vacation and pass a full year extension. This extension will come out of the Social Security Tax. The idea of a Trust Fund for Social Security is a joke, since Johnson started taking money from the Social Security Trust Fund and replacing it with IOU’s from the Federal Government. This was his way of paying for “the Great Society”. For all practicable purposes the Trust Fund is non-existence.
Boehner let the Democrats back him into a corner and make a fool of him. The Senate passed the extension by an overwhelming majority for two months, just so they could go on vacation. Boehner took a stand that was not a smart move. In politics you need to choose your battles. He could have gone along with the Senate bill and then take the high road to proclaim just how foolish a two month extension is.
The White House will make a big issue out of this because as they say, it will halt “the suffering of 160 million Americans”. Boehner was out maneuvered by the Democrats. I think it is time to replace him as Speaker. If he remains, I fear he will cave it again on other issues.
Stan Elrod
Charlotte, NC
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