By Susan Duclos
The backlash against Speaker of the House John Boehner now because of conservatives that have been purged from committee seats, is just the tip of the iceberg if he caves to Barack Obama and allows a vote in the House of Representatives on any increase in tax rates.
While Boehner has put revenue on the table by way of closing loopholes and eliminating some deductions as part of tax reform, a method promoted by Barack Obama in July 2011, if Boehner agrees to hold a House vote on upping tax rates for the so-called rich instead, which would also affect 24 percent of businesses that have paid workers, the backlash he is suffering now at just the thought of it, will be nothing compared to the wipeout that the GOP as a party will be looking at in the 2014 elections.
Already Twitter is seeing hashtags such as #PurgeBoehner and #FireBoehner but any Republican in the House of of Representative that votes for a plan which would raise taxes and kill jobs, will also see their heads on the chopping block.
Calls to purge or fire Boehner might be a little premature, because understanding that the GOP could lose control of the House of Representatives in 2014, will lose control, if they betray their base constituents, could prevent Boehner from making a deal that he has admitted would kill job creation and hurt the economy.
What John Boehner needs to ask himself, along with every House Republican, is whether they are more concerned with poll numbers which can flip at the drop of the dime, and most certainly will if Obama throws America off the fiscal cliff, or more worried about the economy, which will suffer if any tax rates are increased, but especially on those already saying that higher taxes will cause them to hire less, fire more and cut hours on workers... Business owners.
Boehner may have the backing of House Republicans, but without the backing of conservative voters, they cannot keep the House in 2014 and most certainly will lose any hope of taking the Senate.
[Update] Conservatives make the case for purging Boehner no matter what happens with the fiscal cliff negotiations.
