Posted on 05/29/2014 4:16:57 AM PDT by Maceman
They’ve given John Boehner constant headaches during his three years as speaker.
Now, Boehner’s friends are trying to make sure that a small pocket of tea-party-aligned Republicans won’t have a chance to derail his speakership next year. And if they try, they could be punished.
A group of his closest allies — including fellow Ohio Republicans like Pat Tiberi — are discussing tactics such as trying to change GOP Conference rules to punish members who do not support the party’s nominee during a floor vote. A lawmaker who bucks the Republicans’ choice for speaker could lose committee assignments — or worse. Boehner’s allies have already stripped some Republicans of their committee assignments for straying too far from the team.
In a sign of force, some of Boehner’s friends are considering releasing a letter with the names of several dozen GOP lawmakers pledging to vote for no one else besides the speaker — making the election of a more conservative rival logistically impossible.
The effort is playing out amid ongoing speculation that Boehner may retire soon after the midterms, though the Ohio Republican insists he will stick around. And while his tenure has been defined by the tea party’s fury, the maneuvering to keep him in power is a reminder of the enduring strength of the GOP’s establishment wing.
Boehner’s critics are loud but disorganized and stand little chance of toppling him at the moment. But the talks represent a drastic shift in Boehner’s corner of the House Republican Conference and are, in part, a reaction to a laid-back attitude that is seen as both a strength and hobbling weakness for the speaker.
Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner, said the Ohio Republican “has said repeatedly he expects to be speaker in the next Congress, so when the House Republican team meets after the election, he hopes and expects he will be their choice for speaker, and once that decision is made, that the team will vote for him on the floor in January.”
Asked about the discussions, Tiberi declined to comment. Boehner and his senior aides are aware of the talks, several sources said.
For allies of the 64-year-old Boehner, the effort reflects their bruising experience in 2013. Boehner was caught flat-footed when a dozen conservatives voted for other Republicans for speaker, including Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and defeated former Florida Rep. Allen West. At the time, Boehner and his staff were lackadaisical in beating back the minicoup, and downplayed it.
Ultimately, he won the speakership after the 2012 election with the support of 200 Republicans, while 12 members of the party either voted against him or declined to vote at all.
There’s plenty of time before leadership elections — they are eight months away — and Boehner’s aides say he has made inroads with some of his detractors. But his political stature in the conference is the subject of endless conversation in the Capitol.
Doubts about his future were reignited earlier this month when he took to a stage in San Antonio and declined to commit to another full two-year term as speaker.
But at the same time the protective measures are being discussed, Boehner World is feeling increasingly confident about the speaker’s political position if he does stick around.
For one thing, the electoral landscape for Republicans is brightening in both the House and the Senate. In the upper chamber, Republicans have a fighting chance to take back the majority for the first time since 2006. People close to Boehner doubt he would leave if Congress is controlled by Republicans.
In the House, the GOP is hoping for gains of five to 12 seats, which Boehner-aligned Republicans see as a boon to the speaker. Boehner is playing a large role in this election, spending loads of time on the road raising money for candidates and incumbents alike. He raised more than $54 million in 2013, and transferred more than $12 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to a Boehner aide.
At the same time, the traditional anti-Boehner forces are shrinking. At least two of the 12 lawmakers who voted against Boehner will be gone next Congress — Texas Rep. Steve Stockman and Georgia Rep. Paul Broun both lost primary races for Senate seats. Several of Boehner’s allies are working to boost the GOP challenger to Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.). Amash voted for Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) for speaker in 2013.
And some of those who are staying are drifting toward Boehner. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), who has never publicly divulged why he sat out the vote in 2013, said in an interview that if the “election were today, and we were right back where we were with the same candidate as January of 2011, if we were on the floor today, I’d vote for John Boehner for speaker.”
How long can Boehner’s liver hold up? He needs even more invitations to Washington parties.
Too bad he doesn’t show this kind of force when dealing with democrats.
Show prep for Rush.
I told the RNC a couple months ago that as long as McConnell and Boehner keep bashing the Tea Party, they don’t need MY money. I have to believe that I am not alone.
Is there EVER any good news any more?
Boehner has been a disaster as speaker. I miss Tom DeLay.
The anti-boner ‘mavericks’ should advise boner that if he organizes an interference against them that they will go ahead and vote with the RATs for Pelosi. Let boner sweat that one out!!
Amen!
I personally think that in the atmosphere of it all the powers that be must have the goods on many of these congressmen. They seem like a bunch of scared jack rabbits.
If Cantor loses in Virginia, things may change.
Repubbies are perfectly happy with the corrupt political system they and the democrats built together.
The only gripe the republican have is that the democrats won’t give them their turn to be first in line at the pig trough.
Now, just when it seems they might get their turn, these upstart Tea Partiers want to upset the apple cart and change the system.
This has been the problem of Republic leadership for a long time now. They beat up their own side with brickbats, knives and guns and then take on Democrats with pillows.
And none of us are looking to what is happening to European election results!
Actually, they don't. There's plenty of crony capitalists who are willing to pay far more than you.
We need more tea party types in the House and we need kneebreakers too. Metaphorically.
Now, a little Churchill...
"We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender..."
It is bleak Laz....
* Common Core Federalizes Education even more than the Dept of Ed.
* The EPA can now Spot check dealers NEW CARS which again is Federal intervention when they meet all standards via testing in the design and manufacturing process.
* Obamacare was a vast Federalization of what was a licensing, marketing, and sale of Policies and their varios types which had State over-site and policing if needed.
And now this on where and what you could buy for a home and the question begs ( I have heard it will ) effect building code and zoning etc. http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/05/obama-will-wait-until-after-election-to-impose-his-vision-of-how-we-should-live.php
I hope it is Darkest just before dawn, but Glenn Beck what right, they were building structure. It is the Structure of Control via Regulatory Fiat via agencies that are Congress is letting run wild without the over-site that many on our side say is their Constitutional Duty.
How and when do we get all these liberties back ( if at all, if ever ) ? When will our asleep citizenry wake up to the Control Apparatuses being built to control them too.
Nah, it is too easy to grab a beer and turn on the tube to watch the Kardasian's or a Ball Game. Bread and Circus.....
Punish him. Everyone in Boehner’s district needs to hold their nose and plunk their votes for the Democrat.
Brute Force Politics 101
Open season on oompah-loompahs. Bonor must go.
Too bad he doesn’t show this kind of force when dealing with democrats.
Show prep for Rush.
I told the RNC a couple months ago that as long as McConnell and Boehner keep bashing the Tea Party, they don’t need MY money. I have to believe that I am not alone.
I’ve told them the EXACT same thing. The funny thing is that they continue to send me their donation cr@p, only now, they don’t include the paid return envelope....just one that requires postage. NO THANKS!!
DeLay was never Speaker.
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