COMMENTARY | The Speaker of the House should have slammed the phone down on Thursday when President Barack Obama told him "no" to his request to consider an alternative. Since when has Washington become so dysfunctional that political leaders are no longer willing to even listen to opposing viewpoints?
Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, called the Oval Office to ask Obama to send his economic advisors to Capitol Hill in order to discuss proposals for a one-year extension to the payroll tax cuts that are set to expire next week, National Journal reported. Obama's answer: no.
Whether Obama likes the House Republican approach or not isn't really the issue. Politicians negotiate -- it's what they do. In the interest of keeping the lines of communication open, the president should have agreed to send his advisors to hear what the Speaker had to say. It is just possible -- however Obama may feel -- that Boehner has a workable idea worth hearing. To categorically dismiss a request of that nature is simply juvenile.
Obama told the speaker that "only viable option currently on the table" is the Senate's two-month extension bill that was passed with bipartisan support on Saturday. The House rejected that bill and is seeking a conference committee with the Senate to discuss differences. The president is wrong - the Senate bill is not the only option on the table. Clearly, Congress needs to keep talking through the remaining days of the year to prevent a tax increase that both parties agree should be avoided. With consensus, they need to follow Nike's advice and "Just do it!"
On Tuesday, the Daily Caller reported that Boehner asked Obama to order the Senate back into session for the express purpose of finding a resolution before the end of the year. The president has declined to do this.
This is one more example of a Congress that cannot work together and a president that will not cooperate with the legislative process. House Republicans should be ashamed of sending mixed messages to their leadership. The Senate should be embarrassed to have crafted such an unworkable piece of legislation in the first place. Six national organizations representing business filed opposition notifications with the House Ways & Means Committee.
Obama needs to show full cooperation with the legislative process, and that includes dispatching his advisors to meet with congressional leaders. And, this needs to be done now.
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