The dispute on Capitol Hill over the payroll tax hike has been badly reported in the media.

Here's what happened: Obama wanted Congress to pass a one year extension of the payroll tax cut. The House passed a bill that was doomed to fail in the Senate. Boehner then urged the Senate to craft its own compromise. The Senate approved a bill that extends the payroll tax cut for two months. Boehner said the House would vote in favor of the Senate bill, and he called the Senate bill a victory for Republicans. The Senate, thinking that its work was done, left town for the year.

Then Boehner went on Meet the Press yesterday and decried the Senate bill because it was only for two months. Boehner said the House wants to do what the President requested and pass a full year extension. (You know how much the House always wants to please the President.) The House is expected to vote down the Senate bill tonight.

So it looks like, thanks for Republican duplicity, payroll taxes will rise on January 1, 2012.

Because the payroll tax is regressive, I don't see how the public can view this as anything other than another attempt by Republicans to favor the wealthy.

Congress largely operates on agreements between members and between the two houses. Since Boehner became speaker, he has violated agreements on multiple occasions.