Capitol Stand-off: Republicans Caving? [View all]

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By Jonathan Karl

My prediction: House Republicans will soon – probably within 24 hours – cave in and accept the two-month extension of the payroll tax cut passed last week by the Senate.

I base this on conversations with House Republicans who know they are losing the public relations battle and losing it badly. They know they are taking the blame for a stand-off that threatens to raise taxes on 160 million Americans. And they cannot let that happen.

As one top House Republican aide just told me: “I do not expect taxes to go up on January 1st.”

At this point, there is really only one way for taxes not to go up on January 1st: House Republicans need to fold. Democrats won’t give in because they are completely confident that House Republicans will take the blame for the impasse. And Republicans don’t disagree.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/capitol-stand-off-republicans-caving/