I guess if John Boehner enjoyed his party's in-fighting and hints of mutiny during the debt ceiling talks, then the 15 months leading to the general election will be pure ecstasy because it's likely going to be more of the same.
But if Boehner doesn't like being taken hostage by elements of his own party, then I suggest he adheres to the same criticism he hurls President Barack Obama's way -- stop leading from behind.
Man up and do what he, Sen. John McCain and many other top-tier Republicans know needs to be done for the sake of the party: Kick those freeloading tea partiers out.
Vote to censure, campaign against them and deny them GOP resources. Do whatever needs to be done to force them to get in line or stand on their own two feet.
At this point you might be wondering if I want Obama to lose, but that question is irrelevant. The more important question is how the political system got so broken that the country can have a 9.2 unemployment rate and the few legitimate challengers to the incumbent are overshadowed by carnival barkers.
So if the tea partiers are so powerful that Boehner has to answer to their every whim, why do they rely on Republican resources for survival? The answer to that is simple -- they're not that powerful. They only bark like they are.
And they might soon find out that what little bite they do have is not very intimidating.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/02/granderson.tea.party.boehner/index.html
