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Speaker Ryan’s Conditions
National Review ^ | 10/20/15 7:56PM | Alexis Levinson, Eliana Johnson & Elaina Plott

Posted on 10/21/2015 4:26:36 AM PDT by 1010RD

It looks like Paul Ryan will do the job, but he’ll do it on his own terms.

He laid them out at a Republican-conference meeting on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, telling his colleagues he wants the bickering to end. That means, Republicans said as they exited the meeting, he wants universal endorsements from the various caucuses, specifically from the conservative Freedom Caucus, the Republican Study Committee, and the more moderate Tuesday Group. He gave members until Friday to let him know if they could rally behind him, so that he could make preparations or give other candidates the opportunity to do so.

“If I can truly be a unifying figure, then I will gladly serve,” Ryan reiterated to reporters later. If not, he said, “I’ll be happy to stay where I am at the Ways and Means Committee.” Ryan told reporters the next speaker should be “a visionary one,” and said he told colleagues “we need to update our House rules so that everyone can be a more effective representative,” and to do so in a way that brought an end to the constant “crises.”

But he emphasized that he had grave concerns about the toll this would take on his family, especially his young children, and told members he would not be giving up weekends, or traveling as often as Boehner has done in the role. “He said he had to make it home on weekends for his oxygen, which included his family, his church, and a deer stand,” Representative Ann Wagner, of Missouri, tells National Review.

Ryan opened the speech by telling his colleagues he had written his remarks in a deer stand. The speaker has traditionally taken on heavy fundraising duties, helping to elect Republicans to the House. Wagner, who serves as finance chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, says the committee is fine with Ryan’s proposal and is working on a plan to ensure the committee’s fundraising remains in good shape. She says she was also heartened by his statement that when he did travel to help Republicans campaign, he would focus not just on fundraising but on communication, and would do more local press and grassroots events – activities past speakers have not usually engaged in.

The response to the speech, which Wagner describes as “uplifting” and “visionary,” was hugely positive. “Overwhelming applause,” said Representative Darrel Issa, of California, as he was leaving the meeting.

Ryan was the only one to speak at the meeting, Wagner says. She says that when Boehner introduced him, he said, “he’s been in the witness protection program now for a week, and we’re gonna hear from him.”

Though it wasn’t a night in which Ryan was making many concessions — aside from a nod that he was seriously considering taking a job he has said publicly he does not want — he also hinted strongly that he will not bring an immigration bill to the House floor. He told his colleagues the issue was simply “too divisive” and he wanted to focus on the things on which the conference is in agreement, like border security and internal enforcement, as opposed to a comprehensive bill.

Whether Ryan’s proposals will be enough to placate conservatives who have been clamoring for broader institutional reforms that would democratize the House remains to be seen.

Issa and Wagner say they did not see any opposition when Ryan concluded his speech, but in a conversation with National Review, Representative Tim Huelskamp, of Kansas, says he and others were “put off” by the “list of unmeetable conditions” Ryan had put forth, specifically his demand to repeal Thomas Jefferson’s motion to vacate the chair, which gives representatives the power to oust a sitting Speaker, as they did with Boehner.

“It was my understanding that Thomas Jefferson thought that was good for the House,” Huelskamp says, “and Paul Ryan thinks he doesn’t have to live by that?” Boehner’s failure, Huelskamp adds, was in his desire to “consolidate power,” and based on Ryan’s message, it seems he’s interested in doing the same thing.

“What Paul Ryan is asking for is even more power and less responsibility.” For Huelskamp, Ryan’s conditions, which also included “not traveling on weekends” and “not campaigning,” were “baffling.”

“The best thing I can assume is that he really doesn’t want the job,” he says. “You put forth a list of conditions that nobody is going to throw their weight behind, and force people to tell you ‘no,’ rather than the other way around . . . that’s the only thing that makes sense to me.”

Wagner saw it differently. Ryan seemed excited, not reluctant, she says, and said if he won the speakership, he would fully embrace the role.

“He said, ‘Hey, I’m in for a dime, I’m in for a dollar. I’m all in,’” she recounts.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: loserryanreturns; pompousryan; rinoryan; ryan4king
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To: bert

Maybe he has moved over there...thanks for the info.


41 posted on 10/21/2015 6:36:00 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: 1010RD

Ryan is a skinny version of Boehner. Uber RINO.


42 posted on 10/21/2015 6:51:04 AM PDT by NKP_Vet (In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,stand like a rock ~ T, Jefferson)
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To: RetSignman

Your comment makes perfect sense.

Not all will accept his demands. His way of not having to say he does not want the job and getting to blame it on those that do not agree with him.

He’s a slime ball.

DC is so corrupt.


43 posted on 10/21/2015 6:52:36 AM PDT by redfreedom (All it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing - that's how the left took over.)
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To: 1010RD

Breaking on FOX 10/21/2015

House to vote on Speaker next week...10/28-29.

Looks like the fix is in. Another piece of poo RINO/GOPe speaker.

Oh let’s go along to get along, sing Kumbaya, reach across the aisle and go with the lesser of two evils which is still evil.


44 posted on 10/21/2015 6:53:03 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Unmutual and Disharmonious)
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To: 1010RD

“he wants universal endorsements from the various caucuses, specifically from the conservative Freedom Caucus...” and then “If I can truly be a unifying figure, then I will gladly serve,”

Unifying figures lead in such a way that they earn allegiance which results in unity. Unifying figures don’t demand up front before leading. That’s what dictators do.


45 posted on 10/21/2015 6:56:38 AM PDT by Personal Responsibility (Trump/Cruz 2016)
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To: xzins

Ryan hinted strongly that he will not bring an immigration bill to the House floor. He told his colleagues the issue was simply “too divisive” and he wanted to focus on the things on which the conference is in agreement, like border security and internal enforcement, as opposed to a comprehensive bill.

As I’ve stated before the border will never be closed....only secured, and use of that word “secure” is misleading but will be used often. They will simply “control” and streamline the flow of “human capital”.


46 posted on 10/21/2015 6:57:21 AM PDT by caww
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To: 1010RD

They should let the future prez and leader of the repub party, TRUMP, pick the next speaker.


47 posted on 10/21/2015 7:01:04 AM PDT by kjam22
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To: prisoner6
House to vote on Speaker next week...10/28-29.

Looks like the fix is in.


Bttt
48 posted on 10/21/2015 7:01:24 AM PDT by novemberslady
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To: 1010RD
Ryan opened the speech by telling his colleagues he had written his remarks in a deer stand.

That's appropriate, since he looks like a deer in the headlights.

As for his "conditions", he might as well write them on toilet paper so it'll be easier for him to stick them where the sun don't shine.

49 posted on 10/21/2015 7:10:58 AM PDT by Alfred O. Bama (What Me Worry?)
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To: 1010RD

“he also hinted strongly that he will not bring an immigration bill to the House floor”

A HINT?

NOT good enough.


50 posted on 10/21/2015 7:18:40 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: 1010RD

“Ryan’s demand that Thomas Jefferson’s motion to vacate the chair be removed as a House rule is a nonstarter.”

Absolutely! Who the hell does he think he is?

This demand shows he’s planning on doing things that would deserve him being removed.

RINO traitor.


51 posted on 10/21/2015 7:20:19 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: 1010RD

Ryan is like a contractor who doesn’t want a job so he hangs a big number on it. If he gets the job, well all the better for him. If he doesn’t, no skin off his nose because he didn’t want it anyway.

This is NOT the type of person you want leading the Republican house.


52 posted on 10/21/2015 7:21:27 AM PDT by headstamp 2
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To: Tupelo

I’ve been wondering about Webster. And hoped the GOPe didn’t cause him to have some sort of ‘accident’.

Webster ran against Boohoo last January and was one of only 20 to vote against him.

He’s not a solid conservative, but I’ll take him over Paul Ryno any day.


53 posted on 10/21/2015 7:23:54 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: RetSignman

>> I think he really doesn’t want the job but he has been hounded and hounded to take it so he laid out his oppressive demands just to get them off his back <<

Actual art of the deal:

You must 100% persuade your negotiating adversaries that you fundamentally don’t care very much about coming to terms with them.

Then you give them a “take it or leave it” ultimatum. Usually works to your advantage, and you get the “better end” of the deal.

But even if the tactic fails, you’ll still need to walk away, so as to preserve your credibility for the next round of negotiations — not to mention that as you walk thru the exit door, they sometimes will call out and beg you to come back!

Nothing new or novel, just the basics of bargaining.


54 posted on 10/21/2015 7:27:55 AM PDT by Hawthorn
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To: lodi90

typical!


55 posted on 10/21/2015 7:39:22 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: Personal Responsibility

Yes, being a dictator is not the same thing as unifying, although the appearance might be similar.


56 posted on 10/21/2015 7:42:47 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: prisoner6

great.

The country is toast.

Be well-armed, prepare, and stay alert.


57 posted on 10/21/2015 7:44:28 AM PDT by CottonBall
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To: Hawthorn
you’ll still need to walk away, so as to preserve your credibility for the next round of negotiations

To paraphrase Churchill, we already know what kind of politicians GOPe are. They are just haggling over price.

58 posted on 10/21/2015 7:49:41 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: 1010RD
Speaker Ryan's conditions

Nuts.

59 posted on 10/21/2015 7:59:09 AM PDT by CASchack
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To: CASchack

He is the liberal republicrat candidate. He did not make it with the Conservative so I will take him at his word and he can go home and play with his kids. Adios.


60 posted on 10/21/2015 8:16:11 AM PDT by WENDLE (Trump is not bought . He is no puppet.)
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