Payroll tax extension: Cynicism or Conspiracy

The "Ol' Payroll Tax extension" argument has a sinister feel to it. Now, I have never been a "conspiracy" theorist. Highly cynical, yes. But, does anyone else see the possibility of a Republican conspiracy between their own Senate and House leadership? A brief recap: The President asks for a one year extension of the relief and Republicans recoil in horror. The matter, as required by no less than the Constitution, is handed to Congress and the Republican controlled House passes its own version with reasonable and unreasonable add-ons. A significant number of Republicans go on the record as opposed to the tax relief - go figure on that one. The Senate in a burst of unexpected cooperation by Republicans and after some quiet debate passes its own version with the inclusion of a Republican victory on a pipe-line issue. So, the President gives in on the pipeline and only gets two of the twelve months he asked for earlier. House Speaker Boehner, who we were told had consulted and nodded agreement with the Senate version, then demurs saying that only the twelve month extension would be reasonable and acceptable. The House demands, as might otherwise be normal, a joint committee to resolve the different versions in the remaining 11 days. House Republicans "pack" the committee with seven members, five of whom are on record as opposed to the tax relief extension.

This seems to me to be the situation in a nutshell at the moment. Other twists and turns, of which there are many, are generally irrelevant to my question. The maneuvering of the Republican leadership has placed their Party as the Party fighting for the twelve month extension. Ignoring, as the general population is want to do, their predicate conduct, Republicans may now argue that they are the defenders of the middle class. Please understand that I credit very few Republicans (I speak of a potential Republican conspiracy) in Congress with ability to successfully act clandestinely. I credit more in Congress with the Machiavellian determination and lack of integrity to attempt such a slight of hand.

Isn't it possible that the Senate Republican leadership intended to limit the extension in their negotiations to a two month period and thereby position the issue for the House Republican leadership to take the "higher ground" demanding the President's original twelve month extension? The value to the Republicans is in the rhetoric and not in the substance. The value to the American people is irrelevant.