Politics

Democrat rep to House GOP: ‘Take the blinders off … see the light’ [VIDEO]

Nicholas Ballasy Senior Video Reporter
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Democratic Michigan Rep. Sander Levin told The Daily Caller that House Republicans are “blinded by a rigid ideology” and suggested that they “take the blinders off, come back here, see the light” and pass the Democratic-led Senate’s two-month payroll tax cut extension.

Watch:

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“They’re holding the American people hostage,” Levin, the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee told TheDC on Thursday at the Capitol.

Levin disagreed with experts who have said that a two-month tax extension is not workable.

“The IRS said it’s workable. It isn’t the easiest thing to do, but it’s doable. But the worst thing is to continue this uncertainty, that’s the worse thing. … Everybody needs to get back here in the House and vote on the bipartisan Senate bill,” he said.

“The Republicans in the House are just blinded by a rigid ideology. They need to take the blinders off, come back here, see the light, pass a two-month extension and during those two months, we can work out any issue. At least try.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has urged the House to vote on the Senate’s two-month payroll tax extension. House Speaker John Boehner wants the president and the Senate back in Washington to negotiate a one-year extension.

“The Senate bill only goes for 2 [months], but businesses send in their taxes every 3, so employers will face costly reporting requirements,” wrote Boehner via Twitter on Thursday.

“We’re here, calling on the president and Senator [Harry] Reid to work with us to fix this mistake, extend payroll tax relief for a full year.”

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