John Boehner's government shutdown dilemma

The Republican leader faces one of the most critical decisions of his career: Cut a deal with Democrats, or stand with his party's hard-line Tea Partiers. What's a House Speaker to do? 

To prevent a government shutdown, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) may have to compromise with Democrats, alienate conservatives, and even lose his job.
(Image credit: Getty)

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) faces a dilemma: To avoid a politically devastating government shutdown, he has to reach a budget deal with Senate Democrats, the White House, and even some House Democrats. But doing so would mean alienating some conservatives in his caucus, causing a fissure in the GOP leadership, and possibly jeopardizing his speakership. He appeared ready to negotiate with Dems again this week, starting talks with conservative Democrats. Is that his best choice?

Boehner should side with the "mainstream": Boehner can't solve his "arithmetical problem" without making someone unhappy, says Steve Benen in Washington Monthly. So he might as well work with Democrats for a budget that "the American mainstream" finds palatable, even if it causes "widespread apoplexy among conservative activists and the GOP's Tea Party base."

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