the national interest

Boehner Makes Immigration Offer Obama Can’t Refuse

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) smiles during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washingtn, June 20, 2013.
You’re going with “mystery box,” right? Good call. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters/Corbis

House Speaker John Boehner today warned that if President Obama takes unilateral action to ease life for undocumented immigrants, as he has promised, it will kill any chance of a bill passing Congress. “I’ve made clear to the president that if he acts unilaterally on his own outside of his authority,” warned Boehner, “he will poison the well and there will be no chance for immigration reform moving in this Congress.”

So, if Obama does not act on his own, then the House will act? Well, no. Boehner won’t promise that, either. Basically, Boehner’s offer is that Obama can act on his own, or open the mystery box. Such a tempting negotiating gambit.

Boehner Makes Obama Offer He Can’t Refuse