Um, I think Gingrich was in the exact same position once upon a time. How much better did he do than Boner? Is that precise a measurement possible?
When Clinton said that he didn’t want to balance the budget, Gingrich said, we’ll we’re going to do it anyway. The House passed welfare reform again and again until it was signed. He appointed conservatives to committee chairmanships, he limited the terms of committed chairs and of his own position. He cut the House staff by a third (forcing the senate to do the same, which I’m sure Dole didn’t like). Gingrich actually used the power of the House as leverage. He didn’t just say oh, well, that was fun. I guess I’ll cave now.
All spending must originate in the House, yet we’ve had trillion dollar deficits in the last two years and the Republicans have been in charge. Because Boehner and company were afraid of being evicerated in the media if there was a government shutdown or a default or whatever other scare tactic they’d use, first with the continuing resolutions, then the debt deal, and now the fiscal cliff.
Gingrich relished the fight against the democrats. Boehner wants to get back to his glass of wine and his cigarette.