John Boehner: Student loan interest rate deal unlikely

In just a month, unless Congress acts quickly, federal student loan interest rates will double for 7 million students, who'll face an average of $1,000 in additional debt. That's on top of the already crippling debt they're taking on in order to attend college. House Speaker John Boehner's reaction? Meh.

Boehner told the House Republican Conference Thursday morning that it was unlikely Congress would be able to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling before the end of the month, but he blamed the Senate, since the lower chamber has already passed a bill. He dubbed the fight "phony," and urged his members not to fall victim to what he considers a manufactured tussle.

Those 7 million students aren't likely to think this is a phony issue. And they're not very likely to join with him in blaming the Senate for this failure, since the House passed a blatantly political bill they knew the Senate would not accept, gutting a preventative health fund set up by the Affordable Care Act in order to pay for the extension. The Senate would pay for it by closing a tax loophole that benefits some very wealthy people.

Once again, Boehner proves which side the Republicans are on.