Watch out, Speaker Boehner

Chocola, the president of the Club for Growth, has become an influential congressional disciplinarian, but his hard-line positions have earned insiders’ scorn. …

In recent weeks, the Club opposed Boehner’s “Plan B” during the fiscal-cliff negotiations and the Senate-crafted compromise that ultimately passed the House with the help of Democratic votes. It also opposed the Hurricane Sandy relief package and pressured Boehner to prepare a budget that balances in a decade. …

Still, even though GOP grandees don’t applaud his tactics, Chocola thinks Boehner and company are nervous every time the Club sends out a “key vote alert” to its members. …

As Congress nears yet another debt-limit impasse and a potential government shutdown over federal funding, Chocola says he will continue to be a thorn in the leadership’s side. If Boehner doesn’t exact concessions, the Club will happily slam him.

If Boehner is “not willing to walk away from the negotiation, then he shouldn’t bother showing up,” Chocola warns. “If you can’t find a way to get us off of the path toward more debt and more spending, then shut it down.”