Obama 'very pleased' with vote on payroll tax cut extension

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CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) - President Barack Obama praised the Senate for voting on Saturday to extend the payroll tax cut by another two months but urged members of Congress to reach an agreement that would extend the cuts and unemployment benefits for a full year.

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Opinion of the Editor James - 'Obama in the White House Blog'

The bill as presented today to fend off a raise of middle class taxes was avoided, but at the expense of the President also including into the bill a plan that would require the President to make a decision regarding the oil pipeline being built in Canada, that is destined to run through the central states to the Gulf coast. The United States would buy the oil. 

President Obama has his reasons, as he has elected not to support such a pipeline. Nevertheless, the Republicans have pushed the payroll tax cut bill extension through, only to allow it if the President would include a provision in the bill for the oil pipeline. This would require President Obama to act on the bill within 60 days, instead of a year it normally would have taken. 

Originally, President Obama said that he would veto the bill if Congress presented it. It may be in the bill that will receive full support by Congress on Monday, but I highly doubt if President Obama would sign such a bill. And if he doesn't the Republicans will hold this against him for the election. Never mind all the things that they (the Conservatives) have done to block legislation. It is ok for them to do it, but not ok if they want the legislation to pass, and the Republicans will blame anyone and everyone who stands in their way. 

The Republicans seem to want to continue to keep the middle class people hostage as they will only pass legislation that only is to their advantage, not the middle class. They continue to turn down bills that the President Obama along with the Democrats want to pass, but only seem to want to consider every and any bill that would hurt the Democrats and President Obama.