Payroll Tax Cut

Payroll Tax Backlash Follows GOP Home To Districts

Brian Beutler | December 22, 2011, 5:52AM

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH)

Everyone knows House Republicans endured tremendous punishment all day Wednesday, making it clear to most observers that in the standoff over renewing this year's payroll tax cut, they'll have to blink.

But an even more important story, which escaped notice inside the Beltway, is that the lashings followed GOP members of Congress back to their states and districts.

Here's a roundup.

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House Majority PAC

Democratic Super PAC Sticks GOPers With Ryan Budget In Ad Blitz (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 27, 2011, 6:00AM

U.S. Capitol building

On the heels of the $20 million economic-themed ad blitz by Karl Rove's political money machine this week, Democrats are taking to the air with their own attack ad campaign targeting Republicans over the budget.

The six-figure campaign by House Majority PAC, a Super PAC which can take in unlimited amounts from donors thanks to the Citizens United ruling, launches Monday with ads taking on eight Republican members of Congress across the country.

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Joe Heck

GOP Freshman Shuts Down Question On His Changing Social Security Position (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | June 10, 2011, 11:46AM

Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV)

Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) has decided to let his position on Social Security stand. The question now is, which one!

As noted here, Heck has done a full 360 on his contention that Social Security is a pyramid scheme in the past week. That's earned him the ire of the editors of the Las Vegas Sun and now he's trying to push the issue to bed by saying he's through answering questions about it.

Summarizing Heck's revolving position on the issue, a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal asked Heck for clarification at a Wednesday town hall. "I wanted to ask about your comments around Social Security," he said. "You said at your Boulder City meeting, you used the phrase 'pyramid scheme' and then you later said "'I shouldn't have used those words,' then on the radio you agreed with someone who called it a pyramid scheme. I just want to see where it is you stand?"

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Social Security

GOP Freshman Comes Full Circle On Whether Social Security Is A Pyramid Scheme

Brian Beutler | June 8, 2011, 1:33PM

Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV)

Yes it is! No it isn't! OK, it is!

Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) can't make up his mind about whether Social Security is or is not a pyramid scheme. His latest contention is that it is, indeed, a pyramid scheme that should be privatized, though last week he walked back the same claim.

Last week, the GOP freshman told a group of constituents, "when they first conceived Social Security, they didn't think they were going to be paying benefits for 13-15 years. That's one of the reasons why this pyramid scheme isn't working."

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