Rep. Boehner apparently misinterpreted conservative demands that he toughen it out on fiscal cliff negotiations. He came out with a very short press release this morning and did nothing more than tell Obama to take or leave the GOP’s plan or come up with his own.
I disagree with this approach (yeah, I rarely cut Boehner any slack). It’s not the President’s job to propose this, it’s Congress’s and specifically the House of Representatives. Boehner is engaging in needless dick-measuring with Obama when he should instead pass something through the House and let the Democrats explain their votes and vetoes. This gridlock plays perfectly into the President’s hands and bolsters the media-driven perception (which the electorate is falling for) that the failure of negotiations will be the GOP’s fault.
I’m on board with others who say that the House should simply pass the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles committee. When the Democrats kill it, let them explain why they wouldn’t support the findings of the President’s bipartisan commission. We have no truly good options. Let’s go for the one that most deflects blame.
Putting it back on the President just gives him more ammo to stand up and bitch about Republicans. Smack the mic out of his hand and make his party do something.
