In what could be the strangest political turnaround in recent times, comes this news in the face of the recent bungling by House conservatives in mismanaging a revolt against Speaker John Boehner.
As soon as the voting for the Speakership was over, Boehner announced some new changes in committee assignments and chairmanships. Most thought that the bloodletting had begun, with Boehner apparently bludgeoning the conservative upstarts for their audacity in challenging his leadership. Moves were made by Boehner and hard core conservative bloggers became enraged.
Now comes some quiet changes that very could bode well for the influence of House conservatives in the 114th Congressional Term.
Rather than punish and isolate those who opposed him as leader, Boehner surprised many on Friday by embracing an immigration plan that's tougher than lawmakers had expected. It would block President Barack Obama's recent limits on deportations and undo protections for immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children.
As the rebellious hard-liners celebrated, mainstream Republicans said Boehner's decision probably portends firmly conservative approaches to other issues. That would complicate life for some of the more moderate Senate Republicans and ensure fierce battles with the Democratic president.
Now, I don't want to throw cold water on what could become something positive for all House Republicans, but I have to admit that I am holding off any celebration until I actually see some consistent movement in the Republican House caucus toward a more conservative stance.
The key point here is to see a consistent and measured movement to the right in the House. A one time bone thrown to House conservatives will do nothing to assuage their concern for the same old practices of the Republican establishment leadership in the House.
Boehner had better be prepared to make this move to the right a regular practice, or else things may only get worse for all House Republicans, thus giving Democrats a wedge to derail a Republican House agenda going forward.
Conservatives have to understand that despite Republicans having a substantial majority in the House, they still have an uphill battle with more moderate Republican Senators, who have their own battles to pass legislation in the Senate. Some of what comes out of Congress, will undoubtedly find a presidential veto waiting to be exercised by Barrack Obama. That may not always be a bad thing, since, if exercised regularly by Obama, it will firmly characterize Obama and Democrats as the "party of NO!", a label Democrats enjoyed hanging on Republicans and caused them problems at the ballot box.
__________________________________________
Rob Janicki is a retired educator, strong supporter of the 2nd amendment and all around good guy, as well as owner/operator of the website Wired Right and owes me 20 bucks.
0 comments:
Post a Comment