After saying no to additional aid to Medicaid and teachers, House Minority Leader John Boehner tries to leave the Republicans’ “party of no” label behind. Boehner now says that he would be willing to approve legislation that supported extending tax cuts for the middle class, but not the wealthy, if it was his “only option.” Boehner previously opposed extending tax cuts for 97 percent of Americans if extending tax cuts to the wealthiest 3 percent wasn’t part of the deal. One of Boehner’s aides told the Journal that his boss’s about-face was a response to Obama’s claim that the Republicans were “holding middle-class tax relief hostage.” The White House, worried about Republican plans to reverse Obama policies if they dominate Congress in November, isn’t buying Boehner’s newfound openness, pointing out that the GOP is still stalling on tax cuts for small businesses. Meanwhile, Peter Orszag isn’t sure what all the fuss is about since we can’t afford to keep tax cuts for the middle class “over the medium- and long-term” anyway.
Boehner Opens Door in Tax Talks [WSJ]
Boehner: I’ll Drop Tax Cut for Rich If I Have To [CBS]
