Ohio Rep. John Boehner, R, won a second term as speaker of the House on Thursday over the dissent of a handful of House conservatives.
Following a bruising first two years as speaker and leader of House Republicans, 10 conservative lawmakers cast votes for someone other than Boehner during a roll call vote in the first hours of the new Congress. Several other conservative Republicans abstained from voting. Boehner received 220 votes of a total of 426 cast.
While Boehner won re-election to the speakership with the overwhelming support of the GOP, he also narrowly avoided the 16 total defections from fellow Republicans that would have triggered a second ballot of House lawmakers on electing a speaker. That would have been the first time a second ballot was needed since 1923, and a mild embarrassment for Boehner.
In remarks after the vote, a characteristically emotional Boehner urged members to resist pursuing "political victory" in lieu of leadership.
"If you've come here to see your name in the lights or to pass off political victory as some accomplishment, you've come to the wrong place. The door's right behind you," he said. "If you have come here humbled by the opportunity to serve, if you've come here to be the determined voice of the people, if you've come here to carry the standard of leadership demanded not by our constituents but by the times, then you've come to the right place. "
Boehner cited the federal deficit as the overwhelming problem to be addressed by lawmakers, alluding to the need for serious negotiations to solve it.
"As Speaker, I pledge to listen and to do all I can to help all of you carry out the oath of office that we are all about to take," he said. "Because in our hearts, we know it's wrong to pass this debt on to our kids and grandkids, now we have to be willing - truly willing - to make this problem right."
Gee John Boehner retains the job that nobody really wants him to have but apparently nobody else is stupid enough to take. Just imagine how proud he must feel.
If the guy had ANY sense he would have resigned and then let some other poor schmuck deal with the dysfunctional Republican party.
As it was he only retained his job with 220 votes, and with 10 Republicans voting against him. Hell Nancy Pelosi was right behind him with a 192 votes. Wouldn't THAT have been a hoot if SHE had won?
Did you hear during the count that two House member actually voted for outgoing Congressman Allen West? Could you freaking imagine? That would be right up there with having Sarah Palin take the job.
Well the C4Pers didn't get their way..(again). So many of them had wet dreams about Sarah being chosen! What brand of Kool-Aid do these people drink??
ReplyDeleteSince Sarah grifted all their money they can only afford generic...
DeleteNot only do I dislike Congress, the Republican party and John Boehner (after watching their hatred and obstruction and creating nothing but a mess for the past four years!) - I also very much dislike the media and the games they play w/the American people.
ReplyDeleteAll they do is hype things up, spread constant fear, and not thoroughly research a damned thing! They all say the same thing, from channel to channel and the majority of it is nothing more than bullshit!
The press didn't cover the fact that Senator Reid actually got people through (w/100 votes!) that President Obama nominated a long, long time ago. The voting for or against them was never brought to the floor in the House/Republicans - they tried to stonewall their appointments!
Now those people will be put in their positions to include a new ambassador to Kenya, the gal in charge of statistics, judges, etc.
The media is stupid enough not to even know it or cover it. I suspect that is why Boehner said 'fuck you' to Senator Reid TWICE! Reid and President Obama worked around them again which is the only way they get things done to their benefit. Love it, love it!
And, I sincerely hope that President Obama tells them to 'fuck off' when it comes to the debt ceiling. The money has already been spent and Congress approved it being done! No other Congress has tried to stop this except for the last go around. I'm betting that President Obama has figured out a way to work around them AGAIN so that our credit rating isn't dropped again due to Republican obstruction. All they are doing is making us look like idiots throughout the world. Pulling this = dropping our rating only make the U.S.A. have to pay higher interest rates on our debt. Total fucking idoiots in Congress!!! Vote them out next go around. Pay attention Americans!
The media is also having a hell of a time giving any credit to President Obama for getting what he wanted - tax increases to the rich! He campaigned for that and has won AGAIN.
I could not be happier having the team of President obama and VP Biden at the helm of our government.
I had always assumed that to be speaker meant that a person must be serving in the House--I stand corrected. A few people did receive votes to be Speaker: former Congressman West for one. It also appears that Ms. Palin did not receive even one vote. http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2013/01/house-speaker-allen-west-153266.html?hp=r11
ReplyDeleteWell, gee whiz, if he knows he doesn't want to pass the debt on to our grandchildren, why did he ever support the Bush unpaid-for wars in the first place? These GOP guys act like they aren't the heart of the problem.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
MarkAmerica writes, "Many people have suggested Sarah Palin for the Speaker’s job, but while she spent much of her time as Governor of Alaska battling the corrupt insiders in her own party, she did so with the authority and support of the people accorded to a chief executive. While she undoubtedly possesses the skills, she would be wasted on the speakership when there are higher offices for which she is better prepared."
ReplyDeleteThat job is beneath her.
Bristol11:38 AM
Delete'''That job is beneath her.'''
HAHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
NOBODY voted for her. Get a clue! She is a nobody!
Enter the clowns....
DeleteThat's a good one! Satire at its best!
DeleteIndeed,hahahaaha. Being Speaker means you have to be able to speak, like, ya know, English, not toss word salad.
DeleteWho the eff is "MarkAmerica"? Another fake conservative and self-proclaimed action hero like Chuck Norris?
DeleteIf he really was quoted correctly (and hell no, I'm not visiting his site to verify), then he's nothing more than an idiot carrying the water for the #1 grifting idiot in our republic.
These guys are seriously tone-deaf. Debt? Debt is their most important issue of the day? Not recovering the economy?
ReplyDeleteAusterity measures don't work, they blow up inflation and put more people on the dole. If this is leadership, then we can still look forward to four more years of stupid obstructionism.
Austerity measures were what Hoover did that kicked off the Great Depression. Seriously dumb.
DeleteHuuhh?
ReplyDelete"If you have come here humbled by the opportunity to serve, if you've come here to be the determined voice of the people, if you've come here to carry the standard of leadership demanded not by our constituents but by the times, then you've come to the right place. "
"Not by our constituents"? Quite the statement, that. Even within context. Who is the humility for if not "our constituents"? Who are "the times?"
I found his speech a bit ironic coming from someone who's had the tealiban's fingers up his numb nostrils and can't find a way to lead at all. What, exactly, has Boehner accomplished?
ReplyDelete