Congressman Files Resolution To Remove Boehner As Speaker Of The House

Congressman Mark Meadows is apparently a subscriber to the "Animal House School Of Politics"....."I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!"

And he's just the man for the job.

Meadows said he introduced the resolution to spark a "discussion" about how leaders are running the House and did not intend to force a vote on removing Boehner.

“It’s really more about trying to have a conversation on making this place work, where everybody’s voice matters, where there’s not a punitive culture,” Meadows said.

His resolution argues that Boehner has been "bypassing the majority" through centralized decisionmaking and that he has "caused the power of Congress to atrophy." The motion says Boehner punishes members who "vote according to their conscience," limits amendments on the House floor and doesn't allow enough time for lawmakers to review legislation before votes.

All reasonable points but this will lead to exactly nothing happening.

The resolution will be shuffled off to the Rules Committee where Boehner loyalists will do....nothing about it. Well, they might shake their heads and laugh a bit but basically nothing.

Meadows could get a majority of the House to sign a discharge petition to bring it to the floor but that's not happening. Sure a handful of Republicans are annoyed at Boehner but most aren't. And do you think the Democrats would support removing him? Of course not. He's the best deal they are going to get as Speaker from the GOP. Hell, Pelosi would fight harder for him than any Republican.

Conservatives aren't serious abut getting rid of Boehner. If they were they would have organized behind a candidate in January and made a real run at him. A handful of people voting for nonsense names like Rand Paul and Alan West isn't a serious effort.

In other futile GOP gesture news....

The Senate spent all weekend telling conservatives to go to hell over the highway bill, Iran, Planned Parenthood and the Ex-Im Bank. Well, they are now going to cave and accept the House's short term patch, which doesn't include saving the Ex-Im. It was pretty clear all along that the House was never going to take up the Senate's bill but McConnell put everyone through the dog and pony show anyway.

Next time Team GOP tells you to stop attacking them and focus on Democrats, remind them of this bit of needless blood shedding.

The only possible good to come from the Senate passing it's highway bill and then ditching it in favor of the House's version is that we *may* have seen the last of the Ex-Im from the Senate.

Personally I have my doubts. Sure McConnell claims he's personally against it but it did get 64 votes in the Senate. If members want to keep offering it, well that's the Senate. What I object to is McConnell giving it priority status over all other amendments. If supporters want to offer it again ok but it can't be the only amendment allowed while conservative amendments are locked out.

We'll see.

posted by DrewM. at 11:25 AM

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