In the eyes of many, Tuesday night was not a banner night for the Speaker of the House. As John Boehner’s giant gavel became dwarfed by the art of compromise, his Tea Party following rebelled. The writing has been on the wall for the divisive and ineffective leader for a while, but his vote for the fiscal cliff deal that raised taxes on those who make above $400,000 ($450K for couples) was too much for the Tea Party and Boehner’s corporate constituency to take. It’s no surprise that there are rumors that the troubled leader will resign his post. In fact, a spokesperson for the conservative group, American Majority Action says it will happen tonight.

Here’s the video:

It’s hardly astonishing that American Majority Action would be prodding Boehner to resign. Since losing the Presidential election, the conservative PAC has had a lazar focus on the Speaker’s seat.





While few Democrats would shed tears over the loss of the chief crier, his potential replacement will almost undoubtedly be House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), who has been rumored to have been staging a coup for quite some time, albeit quietly. Cantor is quiet no more. His latest rebellion is public and widely recognized. When he refused to get in line with the Speaker on the fiscal cliff vote, the gloves came off. In fact, House Republicans voted almost 2-1 against Boehner and with Cantor. Cantor is a Tea Party favorite and were he elected to the position of deciding what bills are up for a vote, voters could expect even more obstructionism.

Whether or not Boehner resigns, his signature petulance will apparently live on. From turning down Presidential invitations to State Dinners to refusing to fly on Air Force One with Obama, he has proven himself to be anything but diplomatic. On Wednesday, he expressed even more disdain for the Commander-in-Chief as he said he is through with one-on-one talks with the President.

Perhaps if Boehner were willing to work with either side of the aisle, people from both sides of the aisle wouldn’t be demanding his resignation. Even if he doesn’t resign, it takes only 17 House members to block a vote, which will take place on Thursday. At least 20 have committed themselves to block it.

Even that would be temporary. Ultimately, a Speaker of the House would need to be voted on by a majority of the entire chamber. They will simply continue to vote until they have a majority. NBC reports that it’s unlikely any other candidates will garner enough votes to unseat the Boehner. The record number of ballots was in 1923. There were nine before Frederick Gillett (R-MA) was reelected.

Wendy Gittleson is a seasoned writer, a dog lover and an avid political junkie. She is the Senior Editor for Addicting Info. In her rare down times, you’ll find her somewhere in the mountains or near the beach. Follow her on her Facebook page or on Twitter, @wendygittleson