You know, for better or worse, it's all on Boehner.

[dawg]

Revenue bills start in the House, and it's up to him to deliver something that can also pass the Senate. Other than the threat of a veto, the President doesn't really have that much of a role to play.

If Boehner can't come up with a debt-increase bill that can pass both houses of Congress, HE HAS FAILED!

An actual default is not an option, but if it happens, who else can be blamed? You can't blame the President for vetoing a bill that never even made it to his desk. (Although I'm sure the Republicans and the media will try.)

[brooklynite]

1. Sorry but that argument doesn't work...

When Reagan was President, the RW response to complaints that his tax cuts blew budget deficits out of the water was "What could he do? Congress is responsible for spending bills". Doesn't matter what the Constitution says; he's seen by the Public as the person in charge (and has chosen to frame himself that way), and the low-information voters will hold him accountable.

[dawg]

4. I agree with you about public perception.

Especially considering all the publicity surrounding the President's negotiations with Boehner and Cantor. But, perception isn't reality.

The only way the President could be fairly blamed for a default is if Boehner is able to craft a bill that gets through both houses of Congress and the President chooses to veto that bill. Otherwise, 14th amendment remedies aside, what else could the President have done?

[gratuitous]

2. Actually, through a process known as "gut and stuff"

The Senate can take any "revenue" bill that has been passed out of the House, totally re-write it to their own purposes, and send it back to a conference committee for a final bill that does what the Senate wants. There are any number of bills that the House has passed that the Senate hasn't taken up that could serve as the vehicle for this process.

[Poll_Blind]

3. I hold the President responsible for his concessions but Boehner is ultimately responsible if..

...we do not get the debt ceiling raised. That snake fucker Boehner is crazy. Whereas I may believe President Obama is untrustworthy as far as Democratic ideals go, I have no illusions that Boehner and his little orb-weavers aren't out to bring down the country. It's more convoluted than that, with right-leaning DLC/Third Way Democrats using the opportunity to go after Social Security, but all of it really boils down to Boehner...if there is no debt ceiling raise.

PB

[AlinPA]

5. It looks like Boehner is working for a default. His supporters all want it and he is doing

his job for his party. IMO, he won't even bring a bill to the floor that has a debt ceiling raise in it. That will be DOA to the republican caucus.

[WinkyDink]

6. HE might think that buck stops at his desk, but WE ought not to.