John Boehner couldn't get enough votes from his caucus to pass his Plan B, so the House adjourned and went home until after Christmas.
This is good news, I think. Ultra-conservative Republican Congressman Dan Burton (Indiana) said that if a fiscal deal isn't reached before the end of the year, President Obama will be in such a strong position that Republicans will be forced to accept the end of Bush tax cuts for those making above $250,000.
What this means for Boehner's future as Speaker remains to be seen.
He gambled on getting his "compromise" bill through the House
-- which meant they would break their pledges not to raise taxes at all.
And he lost. Which will likely add fuel to the talk of
opposition to his re-election as Speaker, with Georgia's Tom Price as a more conservative, leading contender.
Others are making the obligatory "blame Obama" comments -- trying to paint him as the recalcitrant one. That's ridiculous -- and maybe why his offer on chained-CPI index for Social Security was a good tactical move. Same for going up to $400,000 on taxes. They can't really say he didn't give on anything -- not with any credibility.
Sounds really good to me. Let's go over the cliff, and then fix what needs to be fixed with a new congress and better Democratic numbers -- plus there will be greater pressure on the Republicans to give in.
Ralph
PS: Boehner's humiliating defeat by his own party now makes a mockery of his taunting President Obama yesterday, when he told a press conference that "the president is not willing to stand up to his own party."
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