THE CONGRESS: The Troll

In the old bedtime story, the three Billy Goats Gruff wanted to cross a bridge to a tempting green pasture, but were stopped by the troll who lurked underneath. Last week Speaker Joe Martin and his congressional captains looked longingly at the pasture labeled excess profits tax extension, where a succulent $800 million in revenues lies waiting. The President had insisted that Congress extend EPT for six months from its July 1 expiration in order to keep up sagging revenues. But extension depended largely on the attitude of the Ways & Means Committee, and guarding the committee was a gruff...

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