As Shutdown Deadline Looms Nancy Pelosi Puts The Heat On John Boehner

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With days to go until the government could shut down, Nancy Pelosi is putting the heat on John Boehner by driving a hard bargain for Democratic help.

Politico reported that Pelosi told House Democrats,

“If we stay together, we have leverage,” Pelosi said in the small session. She also told her colleagues that if the GOP goes “further to the right” to garner Republican support, Democrats will drop off.

“If you think it’s a good idea to tell them, ‘Oh, I’ll be with you no matter what,’ then you destroy our leverage,” Pelosi said, according to sources in the room. “And if they have the votes, then it’s a nonsituation. If they have 218, if it isn’t too brutal, the president will have to make a decision. But we don’t have to vote against our interest if they have the 218. We’re willing to compromise if they want to do that to one of us.”

Pelosi was right. Boehner needs the House Democrats. He can’t pass anything on this issue that will survive a presidential veto without the Democrats. If the Democrats stand together, Speaker Boehner’s bill will fail.

As usual, Boehner doesn’t have a Plan B. Democrats have Republicans exactly where they want them. House Republicans are trapped in the crisis that they created. The keyword that Pelosi used was concessions. Democrats will help Boehner out of his mess, but it is going to cost him.

Boehner doesn’t have the votes to pass his bill. If the bill ends up not being too bad, the president may sign it, but the process of getting a signable begins with Pelosi and the House Democrats.

Jason Easley

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