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The same forces that brought John Boehner to power as speaker of the U.S. House are now the ones who weaken him.

For all the unity within the House Republican majority that he forged this year to thwart President Barack Obama's agenda, Boehner was unable yesterday to amass the votes to pass his plan to cut the federal deficit and raise the debt ceiling.

Boehner failed to compel many of his party's first-termers, elected with the support of a Tea Party-driven message of cutting government spending and resisting tax increases, to back him. He was forced to call off a planned vote on his measure after hours of direct appeals to objecting members in the speaker's office. He turned to other House Republican leaders to discuss possible changes to the bill that would garner the support needed for passage.