For weeks we have been watching Speaker of the House John Boehner negotiate with President Obama to no effect.  It seems like every day Boehner caved a little more.  It was becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between his plan and the most liberal Democratic proposal.  But yesterday, John Boehner was on his game.  He called a press conference and made the following statement:

Tomorrow, the House will pass legislation to make permanent tax relief for nearly every American,” Boehner said. “Then the president will have a decision to make. He can call on the Senate Democrats to pass that bill or he can be responsible for the largest tax increase in American history.”

The Republican proposal will raise taxes on only people whose income is above $1 million.  The Bush tax rates continue for everyone else.  He proposed no spending cuts.  No deal on the debt limit.  No new stimulus spending.  The only thing being proposed is what Obama said was his principle objective:  increasing taxes on the rich.  It is identical to what Nancy Pelosi proposed last year.  Then he challenged the President to either sign that bill or let the Bush tax cuts expire.  Suddenly, the only person in a position to stop us from going over the fiscal cliff is the President of the United States.  The only action he is required to do is sign a bill doing exactly what he proposed in the first place.  

Boehner sure looks like a man who is fed up.   It is going to be extremely difficult for President Obama to veto that bill.  It is also going to be difficult for Harry Reid to block that bill.  This is a brilliant political move.  Boehner called the President’s bluff.

Boehner just put Obama between a rock and a hard place.  I don’t know if we got here because of a brilliant strategy on the part of John Boehner, or mere incompetence on the part of the President.  Perhaps it doesn’t even matter.  What matters is that John Boehner just made the President an offer he can’t afford to turn down.  It’s a beautiful thing.

TDM