Boehner Concedes Tax Issue to the Democrats

From nearly the outset of this blog, I have been writing about how well it would suit the Democrats to put the Republicans in the position of either backing tax cuts for the wealthy or backing tax cuts for all other Americans. Indeed, even though some Democrats lacked the fortitude to follow through with this move -- which, I might add, was strongly backed up by polling -- it's clear that it was a winning strategy. Just ask John Boehner, who just folded even before the move played out.

Did John Boehner just blink on tax cuts for the rich? Or was it a calculated move to get President Obama off his back?

On CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, House Republican leader Boehner said that if he had to, he'd vote to extend tax cuts for middle-class Americans (those making no more than $250,000 a year) even if the Bush tax cuts for the richest three percent were allowed to expire.

“If the only option I have is to vote for those at $250,000 and below, of course I'm going to do that,” Boehner told “Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer.

With the Republican Leader in the House of Representatives backing the Obama tax cut plan -- even if grudgingly after having been bested in the political arena -- it's hard to see how this doesn't get through Congress. Moreover, although there has been talk of saving a vote on this package until after the midterms, there appears to be no reason for the Democrats not to hold a vote prior to balloting to put individual Republicans on record as either backing tax cuts for the wealthy or tax cuts for the middle class. This is a political winner for the Democrats, and the only way it's not is if they allow it not to be.