Look for a lot more finger pointing in the Congress today, as House Republicans bring up for a vote on small piece of the Obama jobs plan, which just last week was derailed by Democrats in the Senate.
At issue is a plan approved by Congress during the Bush Administration, which would withhold 3% of payments made to government contractors, to make sure that those same contractors pay their federal taxes - the same type of thing that happens to you in your paycheck.
The plan has been delayed several times, and is now set to begin in 2013, but both Democrats and Republicans want it scrapped over concerns that the 3% withholding could be a burden on some small businesses, and therefore it could restrict economic growth.
"It's an item that's in our jobs bill and it's an item that's in the President's jobs bill as well," said House Speaker John Boehner, who used a hallway gathering with reporters to try to short circuit any opposition from Democrats.
"The President says we can't afford to wait," needling the White House over it's "We can't wait" mantra.
"Well, guess what? I agree with the President," Boehner added.
Last week, this same 3% withholding bill was caught up in Congressional gridlock over in the Senate, as GOP Senators tried to force a vote on it, but enough Democrats refused to break with their leadership on a filibuster against it.
Republicans added one more ingredient to the jobs debate mix by moving to pay for this plan with one small piece of the deficit plan laid out in September by the President.
Last night, the White House publicly indicated its support for the 3% withholding bill and the plan to pay for it.
The "pay-for" as it is referred to in the Congress, would change the definition of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGIC) to determine eligibility for certain health programs, by adding nontaxable Social Security income to the MAGI definition.
Beginning in 2014 when the Obama health law kicks in, this income determination will be used to figure out who is eligible for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Pushing back against the "We Can't Wait" slogan of the White House, Speaker Boehner said he would like to see more bipartisan agreement like this, as he pointed his finger at the Democratic Senate.
"We've got 15 bills sitting over in the United States Senate, 15 bills that are part of our plan for America's job creation," added Boehner.
On the flip side, Democrats say Republicans in the Senate are to blame for voting in lock step against the President's jobs bill.
Let the finger pointing continue.
