White House: Nice try, Boehner

Let the negotiating begin. Maybe for real this time? House Speaker John Boehner says he wants to put Obamacare on the chopping block in fiscal curb negotiations. The White House and Senate leadership are not amused.

A White House official told TPM on Wednesday afternoon that Obamacare will be off the table as leaders of the two parties negotiate a deal to avoid steep tax hikes and automatic spending cuts set to take effect in January. [...]

In an email to TPM, a Senate Democratic leadership aide called the idea 'a total nonstarter. Boehner's office knows that, so even bringing it up is counterproductive.'

Of course Boehner's proposal was bullshit, which he had to know would be greeted with precisely this from the White House and Senate. But Boehner needs to keep his crazy caucus happy if he wants to keep his leadership position, so his message was entirely for them. And like everything else out of this Republican House, just so much hot air.