

John Boehner seems to have no idea how the government works. It’s up to his branch – the legislative branch – to pass laws and to make budgets, however he constantly tells the American people that it is President Obama who is failing the country by refusing to do the Speaker’s job. In this case, Boehner and his fellow Republicans repetitively accuse the President of not putting forth a Sequester plan. Obama’s not constitutionally required to put forth any sort of budget plan, but even though it’s not in his job description, he has proposed one. It’s Boehner who is refusing to do his job, all while passing the blame. On Friday’s The Last Word, guest host Ezra Klein and his guest, Chris Hayes, set the record straight.

“I don’t know if this is a failure of reading comprehension or internet searching capabilities or both,” said Klein.

Klein then did a Google search for the White House’s plan, which showed numerous results, including several that showed the President’s actual plan.

Additionally, as Klein pointed out, the sequestration plan is inside the President’s budget (which Republicans also deny exists).





Why do Republicans continue to deny the existence of the plan which is right in front of their faces? It’s simple. They don’t like it. The President’s plan will raise taxes on the wealthy. The American people love that idea. In fact, 68% feel that the President has a “mandate” to do just that. There are fewer political downsides to pretending something doesn’t exist than in voting against the wishes of 2/3rds of the voters.

The other reason they can get away with it is simply because they can. As Speaker of the House, John Boehner is in the position to decide what deserves a vote. Should he decide (which he will) that the President’s plan doesn’t deserve a vote, the plan will be destined for the political trashcan. The plan may literally exist, but figuratively, it’s right up there with unicorns, fairy dust and Dennis Kucinich’s Department of Peace.

Watch as Ezra Klein and Chris Hayes discuss the politics and the realities of the sequester: