Boehner’s doing his best
It now appears about 25 percent of Americans will hold Obama and the Democrats responsible, and only about 65 percent of will blame Republicans (with good odds that the other 10 percent will follow suit).
This is the reality with which Boehner must deal. The Republican Party’s reputation isn’t good; the reputation of Congress is even worse. Meanwhile, the president’s approval rating is up to 56 percent in Gallup, his highest level since 2009.
So Boehner put forward a proposal on which Republicans could vote so that the argument couldn’t be made that they didn’t act in the face of this looming catastrophe. But enough of his own members wouldn’t deliver the votes that he had to pull the bill.
The speaker’s doing what little he can with what little he has. Those conservatives who attack him for a sincere effort to manage an unavoidable defeat, or who are trying to raise money by using Boehner as a foil, are making an implicit case for their own marginalization.
Blowback
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Which makes him so pathetic.
astonerii on December 21, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Then maybe his best is not enough?
Dingbat63 on December 21, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Which is precisely why the GOP is in so much trouble …
*rimshot*
Paul-Cincy on December 21, 2012 at 8:03 PM
Newt Gingrich would do better, or in other words, anyone competent to actually be the Speaker of the House would have those numbers reversed by actually taking their message to the people. Instead we have a Weeper of the House.
Thanks Romney for being such a selfish person that you HAD to be the one running for president, even thought it was a forgone conclusion you had no ability or even desire it seems to win.
Thanks Romney primary voters and Post nomination Sycophants for saddling us with Romney and then refusing to force him to run a better campaign.
astonerii on December 21, 2012 at 8:06 PM
You and what army are going to marginalize them, John? The same army that elected Romney?
Seth Halpern on December 21, 2012 at 8:06 PM
Under aff1rmative action, that’s all you need to get an A right? Too bad that AA doesn’t apply to orange minorities.
Lost in Jersey on December 21, 2012 at 8:08 PM
“Boehner’s doing his best”.
That’s what adoring liberals say of BO.
In either case it isn’t good enough.
Cody1991 on December 21, 2012 at 8:10 PM
That’s just sad. The soft bigotry of low expectations raises its ugly head again.
Fallon on December 21, 2012 at 8:16 PM
And his best isn’t good enough.
Time for someone else to step up.
ProfShadow on December 21, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Ok, so all the Boehner bashers, whats the actual plan that will not have the public blaming the GOP for going over the cliff or at least convince more people its the democrats fault?
Zaggs on December 21, 2012 at 8:56 PM
I do believe that Mr. Boehner is doing his best. Unfortunately, like Mitt Romney, he is an anachronism out of step with a new era.
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 21, 2012 at 9:01 PM
Having your eyes open to the fact that the GOP will initially get the majority of the blame for whatever doesn’t go well regarding to the fiscal cliff negotiations is more than half the battle, if you look at the situation like a mature adult.
With that as a starting point, mature adults understand the importance of ignoring the MSM/polls as they go about making the tough choices which are necessary to get this country back on a sound fiscal footing – I just hope there are enough of us to get the job done (I believe there are, but we’ll just have to wait and see…)
Anti-Control on December 21, 2012 at 9:33 PM
They have none. It’s simply a dogmatic refusal to recognize the political realities in which we operate. Taxes are going up regardless, yet they refused to make tax relief permanent for the 99% to protect the 1%, which plays EXACTLY into Obama’s narrative. With Plan B, Boehner could’ve said hey, we’re willing to compromise, we’re willing to deal, which might help in the pr arena at least. This, however, does the opposite.
changer1701 on December 21, 2012 at 9:46 PM
There is no plan that would have the public blaming the demos. This whole theater of the damned is orchestrated to go over the cliff and blame the GOP. Even if plan b passed it would not have come up in the senate and the present promised to veto it. And the press would have been blaming the GOP the whole time. This is about doing what is right – not worrying about who gets the blame or credit.
Corsair on December 21, 2012 at 9:53 PM
lol, ouch, ouch, and more ouch. I see a pattern here.
arnold ziffel on December 21, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Good post.
I think the divide between those who believe Boehner did the right thing regarding “Plan B” and those who don’t is the divide between those who understand what good leadership is, and those who don’t.
Boehner is an uninspiring, uncreative, and ineffectual leader who needs to be replaced ASAP – we can do better, and anyone who is pessimistic about this is a part of the problem, not solution.
Anti-Control on December 21, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Bing. Bang. BOOM.
Kent18 on December 21, 2012 at 10:15 PM