So goes the thinking of Jonathan Chait over at the New Republic. His article is here, but the thinking goes like this.
Boehner comes up with idea to cut spending and hike Debt Ceiling. Tea Party hates Boehner idea. Tea Party manages to shoot down Boehner idea. Vote for Boehner idea cancelled. Boehner turns around and sells his idea as a good way to stick it to Obama. Tea Party starts to warm to Boehner idea.
Which brings us to this key graph from Chait's piece:
Once you've gotten the right to cross the philosophic threshold Boehner has, the next step is a lot easier. Boehner will lose plenty of conservatives if and when he cuts a final deal, but he'll gain Democrats. The key step was breaking down the right's default denialism and sense of entitlement to total victory. That's achieved.
What did I say yesterday? (Hell, what did Chait himself say yesterday?) Boehner...needs...Democrats.
And if he decides to follow his Caucus off a cliff, he takes us with them:
Again, that's 44% of the U.S. Government having to get cut overnight. 10% Gross Domestic Product disappearing overnight.
And once again, because this episode of the West Wing sums things up so nicely (and that it can't be repeated enough):
