[cotton1706]

This was an interesting read, but as I went on an on, I started thinking to myself, wait a minute. Boehner is no great calculating strategist. He’s no victim. Please! We’re at this point becuase of his feckless leadership. The National Review has gone around the bend when it comes to real conservatism.

[q_an_a]

Maybe making bad decisions about committee assignment set the tone of this and future agreements.

[mosesdapoet]

When some insight was needed Costas came up with it. Thanks for the posting

[Paladin2]

"Boehner is willing to lose a pawn for a queen. I’m not sure about the rest.” "

The seeds were sown when Boner came up with the Fiscal Cliff deal in the first place.

Sometimes kicking the can down the road puts the kicker in the ditch.

[Sir Napsalot]

>>>> “They don’t get it.” Another senior member told me that Boehner was always going to struggle with the whip count since most House conservatives have little interest in seeing the speaker strike any kind of deal. “Boehner was trying to play chess and the caucus was playing checkers,” he said, sighing. “Boehner is willing to lose a pawn for a queen. I’m not sure about the rest.” <<<<<

Tell me again, what would Boehner gain?

Boehner’s problem is that he THINKS he’s trading a pawn for a queen. Who esle with a sane mind thinks that?

[Timber Rattler]

They had been battling against “Plan B” all week, and quite suddenly, they had crippled the leadership. Boehner sensed the tension, requested calm, and then exited the room.

Boner crippled himself, starting with the purge.

[Timber Rattler]

Upstairs by the House floor, which was now closed after Boehner’s announcement, a handful of senior members discussed the whip count. They decided to go out for drinks near Union Station, in order to avoid their colleagues who’d be hanging at the Capitol Hill Club on the House side. “I don’t want to talk to the people who ruined this, at least right now,” a retiring House member told me. “They don’t get it.” Another senior member told me that Boehner was always going to struggle with the whip count since most House conservatives have little interest in seeing the speaker strike any kind of deal. “Boehner was trying to play chess and the caucus was playing checkers,” he said, sighing. “Boehner is willing to lose a pawn for a queen. I’m not sure about the rest.”

And so grumbles the GOP-E...

[CAluvdubya]

the margin on a spending vote was narrow. That vote was part of Boehner’s “Plan B” package, and a replacement for the defense sequester.

So what happens to this part (Sequestration)? Since it was already passed, will it go on or is it dead because it was part of a package?

[A Strict Constructionist]

Seppuku is the only route left Boner. New blood is needed in the leadership. Leadership with backbone and the willing to tell the Washington elite to Go to Hellllllll.

[Arm_Bears]

Boner, and his “leadership” team, were willing to sacrifice “millionaires” on the deal-making alter this go-round, which begs the question—Who would be sacrificed next?

[Arm_Bears]

There sure are a lot of unattributed “quotes” in this piece—All designed to make the true conservatives look bad. Meh!

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Their deflated spirits were understandable. Earlier in the evening, House Republicans appeared to be close to passing “Plan B” with the requisite 217 votes. There are 241 Republicans in the House, and Boehner could risk 24 defections. In the final public whip count, which was documented by The Hill, fewer than 20 conservative members were opposed to the plan. But things began to fall apart in the early evening, when the margin on a spending vote was narrow. That vote was part of Boehner’s “Plan B” package, and a replacement for the defense sequester. Since that vote was narrow, the vote on Boehner’s larger plan to extend most tax rates would probably be even narrower, leadership aides predicted. “

I still believe the standalone B tax extension proposal was a great idea and next year it will be painful for them when they swallow a really bad bill next year that Reid and O demand, one that vindicates this.

I knew this was in trouble when they added a repeal of the defense cuts (in effect adding spending) to lure votes to it.

But what really killed this bill was the out-right lie that this tax cut extemsion bill was raising taxes. And when our taxes go up January 1 that lie will be exposed, the tax cuts are automatic as I kept posting over and over, plan B didnt raise any taxes.

If this defeat results in getting O and Reid to cave to better tax deal than plan B and/or with real spending cuts then I will be happy to admit that I was wrong.

But if this backfires I bet many who claimed that this bill would have raised taxes or that O will get blamed next year will not have the honor to do the same.

[NELSON111]

Bovine Scat. You don't play chess by purging some of your pawns, rooks and knights up front...and then asking them to come back and fight the queen.

I have NO sympathy. All the GOP-E has done since 2010 is use the majority the tea-party GAVE them...to screw conservatives.

Let them all eat cake.

[EBH]

As I read through this I kept thinking...

1. He made radical purges to committees
2. I guess there are indeed enough conservatives in the House to have some pull after all.

So, as they go into recess...and the intimidation of the cliff gets more shrill...will the conservative caucus give-in? Will the President come clean that what he wants only runs the government for 11 days?

I mean really? All this drama for 11 days worth of money? Can the republicans get on message about the sheer insanity of 0bama’s position? 0bama’s plan does nothing, accomplishes nothing and for the President to “hold out” on such an inane point is pure stubborness on his part.

Why can’t they get the information out already? I am so sick and tired of hearing it’s the media, it’s the media...THEN GET A STRATEGY TO WORK OVER, AROUND, AND ABOVE THE MEDIA ALREADY!

[Georgia Girl 2]

Well well well. Its about time. Mutiny is in the air. I think we are watching the beginning of the end of Tammy Faye’s speakership. I had a funny feeling he went too far when he dumped Sweikert and Huelskamp and the other two conservatives from their committees. Conservatives are mega pizzed. They finally got sick of being threatened for representing their constituents.

Notice how Paul Ryan has managed to stay out of the line of fire and he was seen waltzing out of the capitol with Tom Price? I think they are going to put Tom Price up for Speaker in the new term. He is from GA and he would be great. We love him here.

Let The Kenyan stew in his own juices while he’s on that $4 million vacation we are all going to pay for. It would have been better had the GOP just brought the Bush tax cuts to the floor and voted to extend them for another 12 months and then adjourned and gone home.

[jdsteel]

Let's all keep in mind this bill was going nowhere in any case. It was political show. Boehner wanted a show? He got one: Revenge of the Fiscal Conservatives.

[bmwcyle]

Obama only wants the GOP to fail on every plan. He he will pull every football.

[X-spurt]

Hope this spells the end of “Speaker” Boehner and one with my guts and brains will step up.

[PogySailor]

What a bunch of Hooey. NR is still under the belief that the media would credit the GOP with any thing positive. Nothing that passes the House will make it to Obama’s desk, so WHY give in on a tax hike?

Pass an across the board tax and spending cut and go home. Obama wants the “cliff” no matter what. No give on the debt ceiling.

Elect some leadership with a spine rather than the Weepy Boner.

[tiger-one]

What is Newt’s Phone Number...the GOP-e screwed over him, time for payback