With the failure of 'Plan B' Speaker Boehner may be ready to make a BIGGER GRAND BARGAIN.
Speaker Boehner is probably, at least in part, as repulsive as he is out of necessity, catering to the Tea Party and people of that ilk. Perhaps there is another, more reasonable Boehner who would eagerly embrace the idea of never having to pander to Teahadists again.
Nancy Pelosi should offer Boehner a deal. She should pledge enough Democratic votes plus 1 to again make Boehner the Speaker in January. In addition, Pelosi could pledge to deliver enough Democratic votes for any legislation that the two of them agreed upon. In essence they would become Co-Speakers, with Boehner holding the actual title since there will be more Republicans than Democrats.
This could/would actually bring about sane government once again. Both parties to the agreement would face serious opposition within their respective caucuses, but since centrist legislation is going to be necessary for the next two years, why not let the two of them figure out where the center is and allow both of them to reject their more extreme elements?
As much as we here at DailyKos might be skeptical of such a union, we could take comfort from the Democratic control of the other two parties needed to get legislation passed. ObamaCare, status quo Social Security and Medicare would all be safe. No fiscal cliffs, no Debt Ceilings to worry about. We might not get everything we want on taxes, but we aren’t going to get that anyway.
Meanwhile, the public would love it. From the most divisive years in American politics in our lifetimes to two whole years of harmonius concord would be most welcome by most.
Boehner’s reptilian mind just might be able to see a real way forward for the Republican Party as well. He knows full well that Republicanism as currently manifested in his caucus is headed for a dead end. In order for a credible conservative party to hold any influence over American politics, he should realize that the sooner the Tea Party is overthrown, the better. His only reason for putting up with them is that he cannot govern at all without them. By offering him a way out of that dilemma, Boehner might actually become an honest broker on the other side of the table.
As much as I despise almost everything that is the current Republican Party, I have to admit that I DO NOT want a world in which there is effectively no competition. In the long run we stand to get a reasonable, constructive, and honest conservative party from the deal, and that too would be worth it.