Free Republic

Sometimes in politics and legislation, whether you win is less important than how you win. That's the dilemma facing House Speaker John Boehner as he tries to round up the votes to pass a fast-approaching spending compromise and avert a partial government shutdown by week's end. Boehner, R-Ohio, wants the overwhelming majority of those votes to come from his fellow Republicans, even if dozens of easily attainable Democratic votes could help carry the budget bill to victory. The goal complicates Boehner's task, and possibly could push the bill farther to the right. It motivates him to battle for the votes...