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From BNA

House Votes to Waive Pay-Go, Send AMT Relief to 21 Million Taxpayers

Posted Dec. 19, 2007, 4:50 PM ET

The protracted debate over whether to pay for a one-year patch for the alternative minimum tax ended Dec. 19 when the House voted 352-64 to clear the measure for President Bush’s signature.The House passed the bill (H.R. 3996) containing a one-year AMT patch without offsets after agreeing to set aside a rule and consider the measure under a suspension of the rules, which includes the pay-as-you-go rule. While no Republicans voted against the measure, 64 Democrats-mostly Blue Dog budget hawks opposed to adding to the national debt-voted against it.

Democrats criticized Republicans for painting them in a corner by steadfastly opposing offsetting the $50 billion cost of the patch, while Republicans criticized Democrats for violating their commitment to pay-go budget rules and for trying to prevent a tax increase with increases elsewhere in the Internal Revenue Code.

“In this process of governing you often times reach a difficult intersection. Sometimes you do not have the luxury of either supporting a bill you like or opposing a bill that you don’t like,” said House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.). “Sometimes you have to support a bill that you do not like simply because it has to be done. That is the crossroads where we find ourselves today.”

So, the GOP criticized Democrats for abandoning PAYGO when it was they that demanded it for supporting the bill? And they criticized them for both trying to offset and then abandoning the offset? It’s times like this that I’m glad I’m not in politics. Once again, I am proud of the Blue Dogs for fighting until the end to get the patch paid for. While they ultimately lost the battle (ironically to those that will claim to be the fiscally responsible party), they showed that they are serious about PAYGO and will even vote to keep it on “must pass” legislation.