Boehner Was Right to Tell Obama "No"

If anyone thinks there will eventually be an agreement on a jobs bill, fuggedaboutit:

Within minutes of agreeing with congressional leaders Wednesday night on an address to a joint session next week, President Obama flashed out an email to millions of supporters criticizing the chambers, their members and vowing to pressure them to enact his as yet unspecified job creation ideas.

"It's been a long time since Congress was focused on what the American people need them to be focused on," the Democrat charged in an email with the subject line: "Frustrated."

It's not exactly clear how long "a long time" Obama was thinking of. But until midterm voters produced a historic House turnover to Republicans last November, Obama's Democratic Party controlled both houses with substantial majorities and gave him vast spending, reform and healthcare programs.

It was, at least in part, voter reaction to such legislation that produced the divided government in D.C. now.

This evening's email is likely revealing of the strategy this White House intends to follow for the 2012 presidential election, blaming Congress for what hasn't happened in the economy and employment sectors.

Look, it's no secret what Obama is planning for the speech. He'll propose a bunch of new spending that doesn't have a prayer of passing the House, and then when the bill crashes and burns, he'll spend the next year telling America that his plans would have worked but the Republicans obstructed him. Count on it.

Boehner was right to refuse Obama's request to speak at the same time as the GOP debate.  It was a petty political move on Obama's part, and there will be many more episodes just like this in the coming months.