Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:41 pm
John Boehner is privately warning House Republicans that the government shutdown could cost them control of the House in 2014.
According to Politico, Speaker Boehner is warning House Republicans that the government shutdown could cost them control of the House next year, “The majority of polls show Republicans will bear the blame for this shutdown. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has privately warned House Republicans that they could lose their majority in 2014 as a result of shutting down the government.”
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Now we understand why Boehner looked like a man who was digging his own grave, when he addressed the media shortly after the shutdown began.
Video of Boehner:
Democrats have been enraged by the shutdown itself, but also see that Republican stupidity has opened the door for them to take back control of the House next year. Boehner is correct. The “Suicide Caucus” has driven House Republicans to the brink of losing their majority. The bad news for Speaker Boehner is that Democrats are not going to budge an inch on the ACA. House Republicans are going to get absolutely nothing on Obamacare.
House Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) made that clear late last night when she was asked by a reporter if Democrats could accept any small narrow change to Obamacare to get out of a shutdown. Her one word answer said it all, “No.”
Video of Pelosi:
Speaker Boehner knows that House Republicans are digging their own graves. Boehner has been saving the party from itself since he became Speaker, but this time, he is standing aside and letting them self destruct. House Republican leadership knows exactly what the outcome will be if this shutdown lasts for more than a couple of days. They know that their strategy of taking a hostage instead of doing the budget through regular order is backfiring. They know what they have to do, but so far they are refusing to do it.
President Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi are breaking the backs of the anti-government tea party forces. Their constant talk of a faction within the Republican Party being responsible for the shutdown is laying the groundwork for 2014. The House Republicans who have shutdown the government will be the top targets of Democrats next year.
Every minute that goes by with the government still shutdown is another step towards handing Democrats control of the House in 2014. John Boehner knows this, and for reasons only known to him, is refusing to stop it.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
