Calling Boehner to task may produce results?

The conservative strategy has been to seriously confront Boehner, challenging him to live up to his promises, challenging him to rise to the serious threats to the Constitution made by Obama’s policies, challenging him to abide by the mandate of the just passed election, doing so by challenging him in his leadership roll.  The strategy may be producing results.

That is the implication of this Associated Press article just forwarded by Newsmax

Boehner’s Embrace of GOP Rebels Nudges House Caucus to Right

Boehner surprised many by embracing an immigration plan that’s more stringent and conservative than lawmakers had expected.

That summation is expanded on in this Washington Post article by Sean Sullivan,      House Republicans unveil conservative plan to derail Obama’s immigration actions    excerpts:

The legislation, which is more conservative than some had anticipated, . . .

The bill will also seek to block funding to a 2012 initiative known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that granted temporary protection to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), perhaps the most outspoken hard-line opponent of immigration reform, said was encouraged by Friday’s meeting and was pleased by a draft of the bill he saw.

“I’m pretty confident we’re going to get a bill I support,” said King. . . .

Jorge Silva, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), said in a statement that it was “disturbing” that Republican leadership allowed King to play a role in crafting immigration legislation, given his past controversial statements on the subject.

Some conservative observers questioned the usefulness of throwing the gauntlet down in front of Boehner, opposing his reelection as Speaker: The Boehner Opposition Full of Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing . The implication is that the 25 who opposed Boehner isolated themselves, hurt any chances for support from Boehner, and Boehner was able to brush them aside.The truth is that Boehner had to scramble mightily to avoid the serious challenge to his power. Just three more might have held veto power over Boehner’s continuation as Speaker. Who knows, maybe a few of those who backed out under pressure, pressured back, meaning they extracted something from Boehner in exchange for their vote other than crumbs from his table.

Boehner could not be trusted to abide by a mere promise — not on appropriations, not on CRomnibus, not on time-lines. Iowa’s Congressmen King and Blum were right to oppose Boehner as were the 23 others. They had to bring the threat close to be credible. They showed they were serious and were dutiful to their promises to do all in their power to protect the Republic. King is an established stalwart and reelected as such. Blum, in taking the vote he did, will improve his chances in that district . . . he is not just another Republican.

At least at this stage, it can be legitimately maintained that Boehner has been embarrassed into doing the right thing.  We will see if there is any follow through from the Speaker, always an if.

Roger Mall

0

0