Well, people SAY they want compromise. Boehner, regardless of his occasional role as "obstructionist-in-chief," wanted to do a grand bargain on entitlement reform and immigration, two things that Americans say that they want. He had a willing partner in the White House and enough votes in the Senate. He was done in by his own caucus. Blocking the other party's agenda is one thing. The Tea Party types in the house have actually blocked meaningful progress towards compromise, over and over. Boehner's Speakership is a casualty of the fact that a small—but numerous enough—chunk of the House Republicans are rewarded by their constituents for cutting off their noses to spite their collective face.