In The House, A Likely Struggle For 218 Votes [View All]

By Mike Lillis - 07/31/11 01:59 PM ET

House leaders in both parties have their work cut out if they hope to pass a debt-ceiling package being finalized by the White House and Senate Republicans.

Although the details of the near-agreement are still emerging, early reports indicate it includes contentious provisions sure to alienate both conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats.

If both the left and right flanks of the lower chamber unite in opposition, it would fall to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to forge a more centrist, bipartisan coalition to get the bill across the finish line – just as they did to cobble together support for the unpopular Wall Street bailout in 2008.

--CLIP

Boehner, for instance, will have to convince his troops to swallow a deficit-reduction strategy without direct ties to a balanced budget amendment – a non-starter with many conservative members. Last week, Boehner tried to push such a bill through the lower chamber, but, despite a commanding majority, GOP leaders couldn't marshal Republican support to pass the bill.

MORE...

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/174583-in-the-house-a-likely-struggle-for-218