House Republicans have shot themselves in the foot

In years past, it has always been the Democrats screwing themselves on the issues, but what's good for them is also good for the GOP.  Here is a case in point. From the Washington Post:

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says a bipartisan compromise reached by the Senate is the “only viable way” to prevent a tax increase on Jan. 1.  In a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, the president said a “faction” of Republicans in the House is refusing to vote on a Senate bill that would extend a payroll tax cut for two months. Obama said, “The clock is ticking. Time is running out.” The president said House Republicans are trying to “wring concessions” from Democrats on issues that “have nothing to do with the payroll tax cut.”. Obama says lawmakers owe it to the American people “to come together and do the right thing.”

And of course, although I disagree with Obama on a lot of things, sometimes strongly, I have to say that he is right on this one. After all, Speaker Boehner originally kicked this over to the Senate, demanding that Democrats compromise. Democrats in the Senate DID compromise to the extent that the unemployment tax bill passed the Senate with a LOT of Republican support. When it came back to the House, Boehner could not keep the extremists in his party in line, and the compromise failed. I can't fault Boehner for attempting to kick this back to the Senate, and demand more compromises again, even though GOP Senators managed to already extract compromises. Boehner is over a barrel, and his leadership is weak. In the end, almost all of the House Republicans revolted against the bipartisan Senate plan, which was endorsed by no less than Mitch McConnell himself.

Now, instead of forcing Obama's hand, as they hoped to do, House Republicans have put themselves in the hot seat, because the failure here is certainly going to be a red meat issue for Obama and the Democratic party in 2012. When you only hold one House and not the Presidency, "my way or the highway" is not going to work. This was a serious miscalculation on the part of House Republicans, who will suffer consequences for their actions next year. This can still be avoided. Don't attempt to call Obama's bluff. Just go back into session and pass the damn thing. You will look like heroes if you do, and goats if you don't.