Payroll tax cut fight ends ugly year for Boehner

[Riot]

House GOP Cuts C-SPAN as They are Leaving America in the Lurch
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1...ch?via=siderec

“As you walk off the floor, Mr. Speaker, you’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from taxpayers, the unemployed, and very frankly, as well, from those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors, 48 million senior citizens,” D-Steny Hoyer can be heard saying.

“We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you have walked off the platform without addressing the issue of critical importance to this country, and that is the continuation of the middle class tax cut, the continuation of unemployment benefits for those at risk of losing them, and a continuation of the access to doctors for all those 48 million seniors who rely on them daily for help.”

And that’s when the audio cut out. Seconds later, footage faded to a shot of the capitol from outside.

Moments later, someone at C-SPAN took to Twitter and explained: “C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras – the Speaker of the House does.”

It’s for reasons just like this, one might infer, that Boehner told C-SPAN back in February it would not be allowed control its own cameras.

Boehner’s office cuts off C-SPAN cameras as GOP takes verbal beating
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/2...takes-beating/

House GOP Refuses to Allow Dem Whip to Speak on Floor & Offer Senate Compromise And adjourns until Christmas Eve. This is a video of the feed cutting http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=wV71OKdEqRI "This morning, Speaker Pro Tempore Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), under orders from Speaker Boehner, refused to allow Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer to speak on the floor and ask for unanimous consent to bring up the Senate bipartisan compromise to extend the payroll tax cut. Whip Hoyer and Congressman Chris Van Hollen are continuing to try to offer the Senate compromise even though Republicans walked off the floor. Once again, Republicans are risking a tax increase on 160 million Americans and the loss unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own."

In other words, Boehner knows that if Hoyer brought up the Senate compromise for a vote, all Dems and most Republicans would vote for it and it would pass in a bipartisan manner (it passed 89-10 in the Senate bipartisan) - but because the 80 GOP Tea Party people didn't want it to pass, out of 435 members, Boehner refuses to let it be voted upon.

Your GOP at work in Congress. Still the Senate Repubs have abandoned Boehner, leaving him here to hang out all by himself.