Tea Party Rejects Boehner Debt Deal Proposal

A coalition of Tea Party chapters and conservative lawmakers on Monday rejected yet another debt solution offering by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, as he tries to appease his conservative base while finding a common ground with Democrats.

The Cut, Cap, Balance Coalition, comprised of hundreds of Tea Party groups and more than 100 GOP lawmakers, cited two unsatisfactory provisions in Boehner's plan: The call for creating a Congressional Commission and its inclusion of a balanced budget amendment that, the group says, is only pretense.

"A symbolic vote on a balanced budget amendment at some later time minimizes its importance, as it will not be tied to an increase in the debt ceiling," read a statement from the coalition. "A BBA that allows a tax increase with anything less than a 2/3 supermajority is not a serious measure."

Conservatives also found something to hate in Boehner's inclusion of a "Super Congress."

The proposed "Super Congress" would be composed of 12 members of both parties and both chambers and be given extraordinary new powers to speed legislation through both chambers, where it couldn't be amended by regular lawmakers who would have the ability to yay or nay. The new commission would also be burdened with finding the smallest amount of spending cuts before Congress could move forward with a second increase in the debt ceiling next year.

"History has shown that such commissions, while well-intentioned, make it easier to raise taxes than to institute enduring reforms," the coalition's statement read.

The inclusion, on Boehner's part, of combining a balanced budget amendment with spending caps was for the appeasement of the Tea Party, but it wasn't good enough. But they tried to direct their displeasure at the proposal, and not the man himself.

"To be clear, we are not criticizing the Speaker," the statement said. "However, we cannot support his framework, and we urge those who have signed the Pledge to opposite it and hold out for a better plan."

Joseph Bretell, a spokesman for the coalition, told The Huffington Post that he would not speak on behalf of individual lawmakers, but said it was fair to say that lawmakers who signed the coalition's pledge are behind the group's statement.

"We put forward the pledge. They signed the pledge," Bretell said. "We certainly hope that having signed the pledge, they will hold out for a better plan than this one."