John Feehery: Support the Speaker (telling piece from Establishment Oligarchy bag-man)

thehill.com ^ | 1/5/15 | John Feehery

[cotton1706]

From 1910 to 1943, it was fairly common for some members of the Republican Party to vote for somebody for Speaker of the House other than the choice of the conference.

Progressive Republicans initially joined with Democrats in rebellion against the autocratic Joe Cannon, and the habit stuck. And in every Speaker’s election during that time, up to 11 members would cast their votes for a person other than the two candidates put forward by the two major parties.

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That habit died in 1945, and from the close of World War II to the close of the Cold War, neither Republicans nor Democrats had any defections in their votes for leader. And then, in 1997, a few moderate members of the Republican Conference decided to send a message to Newt Gingrich that they weren’t comfortable with his leadership. Since that time, in every election for Speaker, there has been at least one defector — and sometimes several more — in both parties.

Usually, the protests have come from surviving Blue Dogs, against the liberal leadership of Nancy Pelosi. They have wanted to demonstrate their independence from the San Francisco Democrat, which they believed would help them back home with their constituents.

But two years ago, a different kind of protest manifested itself, unique in the history of the House. Tea Party Republicans, backed by outside groups that were overtly hostile to both President Obama and to so-called establishment Republicans, were elected to the House and the Senate.

[Travis McGee]

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Coups are usually attempted in the wake of political disappointment, not after a political triumph.

I guess he thinks the chance to enact the Republican policy positions of the past several years can be characterized as a political triumph.

[Raycpa]

Voting no to liberalism equates to overtly hostile?

[freedumb2003]

This guy is a tool supporting a tool.

[Timber Rattler]

...backed by outside groups...

It's a Koch conspiracy!!!

[KarlInOhio]

These groups seem to be most upset about a provision — included in the large spending package that passed at the end of last year — that would significantly strengthen the power of the two political parties by increasing the amount of money that donors can give to party committees. 

Can you blame them after the Mississippi Masacre? The full weight of the party came down on top of McDaniel, including getting Democrats to vote in the Republican primary. Now imagine that multiplied many times over. The machine will protect itself.

[Da Coyote]

The future of the Republican Party rests upon the speaker choice today.

If: Bonehead (aka, witless, spineless dork)
Then: RIP GOP

It is far from a rumor that the GOP will loose a minimum of 20% of their base if the elect old smegma-lips.

[FlipWilson]

Call congress now. The lines didn’t seem jammed to me. I got through to offices on the first try each time. Numbers were posted in this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3242226/posts?page=22#22

[KC_Conspirator]

Feehery ranks up there as one of the WORST insider lobbyists in DC.

[dforest]

Yep, kind of makes you wonder who they think is going to vote for them in 2016. Blacks? nope, Hispanics? nope, Christians?, nope, Jews?, nope. Could be they will get the midget vote. LOL