Check this out: earlier this morning, moments after the House was gaveled into session, Democratic Minority Whip Steny Hoyer tries to make a motion to bring the Senate payroll tax cut extension up for a vote ... but the Republican presiding officer not only refuses, but walks off the House floor and out of the room without even acknowledging Hoyer's request:

So not only are House Republicans unwilling to extend the payroll tax cut, they won't even let Democrats talk about it. I can't think of a more perfect demonstration of the utter callousness of the House GOP: they simply do not care about the harm their actions are inflicting on the country.