Ezra Klein tackles the question of why Boehner is powerless against the Tea Party faction in an interview with Robert Costa. It comes down to his desire to keep the job of Speaker no matter what. There’s a lot to the interview in terms of how things have worked out inside the Republican Party and why, including a decline in the power the party organization has over its members. But this is how it ends.

RC: I think John Boehner is frustrated by leading the Republicans in the House but I think he very much loves being speaker. To understand him you have to understand that. He gets to the Capitol early. He relishes the job and the position but he doesn’t relish being at odds so often with his members. He loves being a major American political figure, but he’s not a Newt Gingrich-like figure trying to lead the party in a certain direction. He’s just trying to survive and enjoy it while it lasts.

Sounds like ego to me. Heck of a reason to help plunge the country into chaos.