Editor’s Note: There has been considerable debate in both houses of Congress about earmarks. While most analysts have indicated that stopping earmarks won’t solve the spending crisis by itself, they typically agree that doing so will send a signal to the American people that “business as usual” is about to change.
The biggest complaint against conservative House Majority Leader-elect John Boehner (R-8th District), who has been a U.S. Representative since 1991 and was easily re-elected in November, has been that he has never “brought home to pork” to his district.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats would do well to follow his lead.
From the Columbus Dispatch…
Elected speaker, Boehner vows reform
Ohioan says he will lead a 'humbler, wiser' new majority
Thursday, November 18, 2010 02:54 AM
By Jack Torry and Jonathan Riskind
WASHINGTON - Just three weeks after seizing control of the House, Republicans chose John Boehner of West Chester as speaker yesterday, making him the first Ohio lawmaker since Republican Nicholas Longworth in 1931 to rise to the chamber's top post.
The vote in a private gathering of Republicans on Capitol Hill means that when the new House convenes in January, Boehner will officially assume the speaker's job, a post held the past four years by Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California.
As speaker, Boehner, who turned 61 yesterday, will be second in presidential succession, after Vice President Joe Biden. He also will be just the third speaker from Ohio. J. Warren Keifer of Springfield was the first, from 1881 to 1883.
"This is history," said Republican Rep.-elect Bill Johnson of Poland, who defeated two-term Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville.
Republican Steve Chabot, who regained the Cincinnati-area seat he lost two years ago to Democrat Steve Driehaus, said, "John's obviously looking forward to doing a good job. His attitude is right. He doesn't want to get caught up in all the hoopla ... and the trappings of power."
Boehner, who set his sights on becoming speaker as far back as 1991 when he was a freshman House member, is vowing to dramatically reform the way the House conducts business.
In particular, he has pledged to empower lawmakers to have a greater say in how bills are written, rather than having most measures drafted in the speaker's office, a style favored by Pelosi and the two Republican speakers before her: Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Newt Gingrich of Georgia.
In a speech to his colleagues yesterday, Boehner said "the job of the next speaker is to work to restore the institution. Restore it to being the people's House.
"This is the dawn of a new majority," Boehner said. "One I believe will be humbler, wiser and more focused than its predecessors on the priorities of the people."
John Feehery, a former senior adviser to Hastert, predicted that Boehner will "bring his own style to the job. He'll be deferential to the committee chairmen, and do battle with Obama when he feels he needs (to). I think he'll do a good job for Republicans."
Feehery added: "Boehner has a chance to be there for a long time. It really hinges on how well he's able to run the House and get things done while sticking to the party principles."
A Republican lobbyist in Washington who spoke only on the condition that he not be identified said that Boehner "is completely serious about opening up the House and letting the House work its will."
"I don't think he's naive about what that means," the lobbyist said. "It may produce some amendments that the majority loses. This is going to cause some chaos on the House floor and cause members to work harder, but he genuinely believes that it will let off some steam and make the atmosphere of the place not so poisonous."
The lobbyist said Boehner privately objected to the tough way Tom DeLay rounded up crucial votes as Republican majority leader, a style that earned the Texan the nickname "The Hammer." But the lobbyist insisted that "people shouldn't confuse opening of the House with a relaxing of discipline."
Gov.-elect John Kasich, who served with Boehner in the House, said in a statement that Boehner as speaker "is good for America, it's good for Ohio, and it's good for every American concerned with the legacy and nation we will impart to our children."
Boehner's ascension comes amid fresh proof that American voters didn't so much promote House Republicans to the majority as they did fire Democrats.
Although 73 percent of voters in a national Quinnipiac University Poll don't expect much cooperation between the White House and congressional Republicans, a few more voters say that Obama should compromise on major issues than say it is up to the GOP to make concessions.
"Americans want both sides to compromise, but they want the president to make concessions more than they do congressional Republicans," said Peter A. Brown, assistant poll director.
No comments:
Post a Comment