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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

After Govt. Shutdown Debacle, Boehner Gets a Vote of Confidence

      Of course, in sports when the coach gets a vote of confidence that's doesn't necessarily augur well for him. It sure didn't when a manager of the New York Yankees got a vote of confidence from George Steinbrenner. However, at present we have Republicans assuring us that he's safe or maybe even safer than ever. 

     "Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) said Wednesday that House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is safe in his leadership position, despite concessions GOP leaders have made during the shutdown and debt ceiling debate."

    "A lot of folks, again, are unwilling to challenge the status quo, especially if it's their own establishment," Huelskamp said on Newsmax TV. "I'll just say, the class of '94 seems to have a lot more guts and gusto than the class of 2010 because they were willing to take down Speaker [Newt] Gingrich. But I don't see that happening anytime soon in today's Congress."

    "Huelskamp was one of a few House Republicans who did not vote for Boehner for Speaker in January."

     "The most conservative members of the House Republican Conference couldn’t be happier with Speaker John Boehner — for now at least."

     "As the 16-day government shutdown likely wraps up with him allowing a vote on a Senate-brokered deal that also hikes the debt ceiling, conservatives who once deeply distrusted him are suddenly cheering the speaker."

     "I’ve been really proud of Speaker Boehner the last two and half weeks,” said Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), who didn’t vote for Boehner during a failed effort to oust him in January.

     "During a Wednesday afternoon conference meeting — where Boehner announced that he will allow a House vote on the Senate plan even if it doesn’t garner the support of a majority of Republicans, breaking the so-called “Hastert rule” — his members still gave him a standing ovation."

     I'm not necessarily doubting this-it may or may not be true. Gingrich was personally a lightning rod in the way that Boehner isn't. I think Jonathan Bernstein may well be right in arguing that Boehner's actions should be primarily read as doing what his House members want. If this is going up for a vote that's because this is what they want. Makes sense. There is, however, a story that the Dems may have been somehow instrumental in keeping his Speakership or that they offered to help him anyway. 

   "About two weeks ago, as tea partiers in the GOP-controlled House were forcing a government shutdown, some House Democrats sent a private and informal message to House Speaker John Boehner: If you need to break with the die-hard conservatives of your caucus to keep the government running and avoid a debt ceiling crisis, we might be able to try to help you protect your speakership, should far-right Republicans rebel and challenge you. This offer was conveyed to Boehner just as he was entering what has turned into the toughest stretch of his speakership, according to two senior House Democratic lawmakers who each asked not to be identified."

     Now I will say right off the bat that I have no idea whether this is true or not. However, I sure hope it is true that the Dems said this. I'd love this to be true. Whether it is or not the Dems have played on a very high level. Meanwhile they even have made friends over at the Chamber of Commerce at least for this deal. 

   http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/chamber-supports-will-key-vote-senate-plan?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+(TPMNews)

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