Plans to Oust House Speaker Boehner Are Taking Shape

the New American ^ | 29 December 2012 | Bob Adelmann

[Yosemitest]

Plans to Oust House Speaker Boehner Are Taking Shape
29 December 2012 by Bob Adelmann



Following increasing dissatisfaction with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), staffs of unnamed House members have developed a detailed plan to oust him as the first order of business when the new Congress convenes on Thursday, January 3. Matthew Boyle, writing for Breitbart.com, obtained a copy of the plan with its strategy and tactics laid out in detail. Provided by staffers who demanded anonymity in case the plan backfires, it will be the first issue the House will have to deal with when the Congress returns to Washington.

Initial rumblings of discontent with Boehner’s leadership appeared immediately after his “purge” of four conservatives from the House Budget and Financial Services committees:

 Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.).
A GOP leadership aide told NBC News that they were “clearly not team players,” and had to go. Specifically each of them strongly opposed the Budget Control Act of 2011 which set the stage for the current fiscal cliff confrontations.

Said Ned Ryun, president and CEO of American Majority Action (AMA),


Speaker Boehner has been an abysmal failure as speaker, and his latest purge is the nail in the coffin for conservatives. Boehner has never won a negotiation battle with the White House or Senate — and he’s been nothing short of an embarrassing spokesman for the conservative movement. It’s time for him to go.

When he learned of the purge, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) could see what was coming:
“They’re going to punish freshman legislators?
If you’re looking for dissension, then you’re going to get it.
These congressmen will never cave.
They’re going to get the support of the people … they will become heroes.”
Rep. Amash concurred:
“It just emboldens us.
I talked to a number of conservatives…who are appalled at what happened.
The leadership team has a growing rebellion on their hands.”

When Boehner called off last Thursday’s vote on his Plan B which included tax increases on high income taxpayers because he couldn't round up enough votes to secure passage, it was the last straw for Ryun. The day after the vote was cancelled, Ryun said:
Speaker Boehner embarrassed the Conservative Movement yesterday by pushing a plan which AMA told him he didn't have the votes to pass…

Conservatives must take this opportunity to define the direction of our movement — and proposing a plan Pelosi wanted just months ago isn't the solution.

Ryun did the math and concluded if just half of those 35 House members who refused Boehner’s inducements voted against him in January, the House would have a new speaker. According to Boyle, here’s how the plan would work:
First, a Republican member of the House will introduce a resolution at the start of business to hold a secret ballot for the election of the Speaker. If that resolution passes, then members would be free to vote without fear of retaliation, even if Boehner is reelected.

At present, the vote for speaker is a roll call vote, but part of the ouster strategy is to remind Boehner of his position regarding secret ballots concerning “card check” legislation being proposed back in February 2009. Boehner wrote a column at U.S. News which explained his opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act:
Contrary to its title, the Employee Free Choice Act actually would strip workers of free choice in union organizing elections....

Instead, it would leave them open to coercion and intimidation — from either union officials or company management — to sign or not sign a card expressing their desire to join a union. It's commonly called a "card check."

In other words, rather than allowing an employee to make this critical choice in secrecy,
the act would END WORKERS' RIGHT TO PRIVACY, making "votes" completely and utterly public, for all coworkers, union organizers, and employers to see.

Planners are hoping to embarrass Boehner into silence at the risk of his appearing hypocritical if he were to oppose a secret ballot this time. According to the plan, such a resolution
“puts [the] Speaker in [the] impossible position of opposing [a] secret ballot
or being confronted on the Floor with his own, indicting op-ed stating
the secret ballot for union members [would end] “coercion” and “intimidation.”

The next step would be for enough disgruntled conservative Republicans to vote “NO” which would then force the vote for a new speaker.
According to the plan, if every member of House is present (Illinois Democrat Jesse Jackson has resigned), there will be 434 voting members on the floor Thursday morning.
Boehner would need 218 of them to vote for him to keep his position.
There are 233 Republicans in the House,
and 35 of them resisted Boehner’s last-minute arm-twisting on his Plan B.
If just 16 of those 35 defect, Boehner’s bid would fail.
That’s the plan.

Once the door is open, then another vote would be taken for a NEW Speaker.
AMA is pushing for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), although AMA press secretary Ron Meyer noted that “there aren't enough votes to elect someone new — YET.”

As Boyle explained:
If these conservatives aren't successful in removing Boehner — but get close — they expect Boehner to cave and give them several concessions.
Those concessions would include “that Boehner should move … to decentralize power to the members, re-establishing trust and his legitimacy as the leader of the party.”

In any event, as these plans continue to be refined and rehearsed to be set in motion next Thursday,
Speaker Boehner’s image as a “conservative” will be forever tarnished and will serve as a reminder to the Republican establishment that the real conservatives — those elected to Congress on promises to cut spending and not to raise taxes — are a force to be reckoned with.
And none too soon.



---



A graduate of Cornell University and a former investment advisor, Bob is a regular contributor to
The New American
and blogs frequently at www.LightFromTheRight.com, primarily on economics and politics.
He can be reached at badelmann@thenewamerican.com.

[Yosemitest]

Boehner and the "Establishment Republicans" were NEVER Conservatives, and in fact, have always HATED Conservatives!

[Principled]

Someone tried to nominate Newt yesterday but didn’t get a second.

I wonder if Alan West would make it.

[Yosemitest]

Here are some of the possible front-runners, were Boehner to resign or face a serious challenge in a secret ballot:

Eric Cantor: The House Majority Leader was once favored by some conservatives over Boehner for the Speaker's post.
In 2009, he achieved the critical task of uniting House Republicans against Obama's stimulus (a.k.a. "porkulus") legislation.
And in 2011, he emerged as a voice for conservatives who wanted to hold the line against raising the debt ceiling without a balanced budget amendment--even as he negotiated terms of a deal with Vice President Joe Biden.
But Cantor has almost always deferred to Boehner, even when trust between the two declined during debt ceiling talks
(Boehner had, without Cantor's knowledge, opened a back channel with Obama directly).
Cantor has also lost some support over the activities of the Young Guns Network, which became involved in several primaries in 2012, often backing moderates over conservatives.

Paul Ryan: Arguably the most respected member of the House among Republicans today,
and the only chair of a committee (Budget) to have received a term-limit waiver, Ryan could likely stage a successful campaign for the Speaker's gavel.
But Ryan has shown little interest in internal political machinations, and has been content to back Boehner, providing policy heft behind the scenes.
Ryan may also have his sights set on the 2016 presidential race--he is already one of the party's top contenders for the nomination
--and may not want to spend the next two-plus years mired in the procedural and political muck of the Speakership.

Jim Jordan: The outgoing chair of the Republican Study Committee confronted Boehner last year during the debt ceiling debate, when he and outside conservative groups pushed for the "Cut, Cap, and Balance" plan that passed the House.
Boehner quashed Jordan's effort--which, in fairness, had no chance of passage in the Senate--
and Jordan has shown little interest since then in challenging the leadership openly on policy or politics.
The fact that Jordan, like Boehner, is from Ohio also makes a challenge for the gavel less likely.

"Dark Horse": The Speaker of the House does NOT actually have to be a member of the House. It is possible, though highly unlikely, that another leader could emerge as a candidate.
A few have even suggested Speaker Newt Gingrich, who ran a highly competitive presidential campaign,
and whose troubled relationship with President Bill Clinton in the 1990s looks comparatively warm compared to Boehner's perpetual standoff with Obama.
The Donald is waiting in the wings, too--and unlike almost everyone else,
he's prepared to use the debt ceiling as the wicked bargaining chip it actually is.
Is it time to think outside the Dome?

BONE-HEAD Boehner has got to go. He's a laughing stock!

[Impy]

Who is that someone? I want to know who is that a big a frigging idiot.

Newt! For cripes sake! Right after he bend over for the fag lobby.

[Revelation 911]

West or Cain - or Newt (he's been a douchebag on occasion, he still is extremely intelligent and a patriot)- but Cain or West would be the proverbial fly in the ointment causing dems fits

Ryan blew his chance with his yes vote

[Candor7]

Allen West should be nominated. Poetic Justice, and West would do a good job, a born leader.

[liberalh8ter]

Turned the TV on in time to see Pete King declare that speaker Boehner will “absolutely” retain the speakership. Changed the channel in disgust to my local news as the newscaster stated, “it is expected that John Boehner will remain Speaker of the House”. ugh...... It sucks to be so angry first thing in the morning.

[snoringbear]

I suggest Paul Ryan as this maneuver would clear the path for a Marco Rubio presidential run. Reason being the GOP can not win the presidency without significant Hispanic voter support and he’s the guy who can deliver it. And, maybe his coat tails would be strong enough to gain the senate as well. Maybe, hopefully, wishing :)

[donozark]

Boehner consistently fought AGAINST Right to Work legislation. Would never let it emerge from committee. The National Right to Work Council has tons of info on this.

Boehner is a tool of the union bosses and must go! Like ten years ago, maybe?

[Russ]

If I were a Democrat in the House I would vote for Boehner. He has given them everything they asked for and at the same time has put the Republican Party in complete disarray. What more could they ask for?

[freeangel]

“Reason being the GOP can not win the presidency without significant Hispanic voter support and he’s the guy who can deliver it.”

He won’t have major hispanic support after obama legalizes all of mexico and gives them all obamaphones and free medical care, food stamps and unemployment checks.

[Venturer]

If the Republicans in the House vote to keep Boehner they are voting to be totally useless for the naxt 2 years.

Speaker or not Boehner is a lame duck.

[Yosemitest]

I disagree.
Newt can take over and clean the Democrats' clock.

SHUT 'ER DOWN !!!

[sheikdetailfeather]

Neal Boortz posted this on Twitter: Neal Boortz‏@Talkmaster Yes ... I would come out of retirement to accept the position of Speaker of the House. And I'd be a damned good one too.

[sheikdetailfeather]

Boortz also posted this on Twitter: Neal Boortz‏@Talkmaster Speaker of House does NOT have to be a member. Send a message! Newt Gingrich for Speaker!

[PFC]

The Speaker is not chosen by a majority of the Republicans. The Speaker is chosen by a majority of the House. Don’t assume that no Democrats would vote for Boenher, especially if they see the alternatives. Why would they get rid of Boehner? Any attempt to get rid of him would require the vast majority of the Republican caucus.

[jiggyboy]

As this would be a step forward for the House of Representatives, the Republican party, and the American people, it will never happen.

[snoringbear]

I get your point for sure. I would be interested in any ideas you may have for the GOP to regain the POTUS and Senate though. I’m out of ideas.

[sickoflibs]

This is much to do about nothing, MSNBC is having a huge laugh over this continued silliness.

FNC Babe Megyn Kelly gave this what it deserved today.

She said that they vote to keep him Speaker because none of the others want it, but maybe make him wait for it with a symbolic vote or two for more symbolism, then ‘by tomorrow it will all be forgotten’, and she had the funniest 'Oh brother' look on her face too, it was perfect.

I been posting this challenge for weeks : get on the phone and talk your favorite principled symbolic vote house member to step up and challenge him. But they wont. Just more symbolism.

Looks like they wont even get to the second vote. He's re-elected, big surprise, just like the outcome of the tax battle was.

[Arthurio]

You almost wonder if the “principled” conservatives drew lots to see who would get to cast the protest vote and who would have to vote for Boehner.