On the "dictatorship" of the boehnerariat

Hey, let's remember that Kennedy/Sorensen's Profiles in Courage is a rather thin volume for a good, and self-evident, reason.

In fact so good and self-evident is the truth of political self-preservation that I can't help but think that Harry Reid was compelled to suppress a chuckle when he charged this morning that the House is "being run" by the "dictatorship" of the boehnerariat. Reid, reports the Hill, said the speaker "cares more about his speakership than protecting middle-class Americans from tax hikes."

Imagine that.

Of course one could argue--and this, too, I'm sure Reid understands--that there's actually an element of subtle virtue in Boehner's dictatorship. The speaker probably believes--or rather knows--that a passed bill now would only doom his renewed speakership later; thereupon the odds of a real Neanderthal taking charge would increase exponentially; and then absolutely nothing but tortured tea-party cretinism would ever make it out of the House.

Self-preservation and creeping sanity may yet harmoniously meet.

Comments

[Robert Lipscomb]

This morning I heard a Republican House leader state matter-of-factly that Boehner had over 200 GOP votes (out of 241)for Plan B. People from both sides continue to assert that if the senate bill had a straight up vote, it would pass in the House.

I suspect this is where everything is heading. In light of Boehner's recent changes to committee chairs, what better way to kick the House Tea Partiers in the balls? and what better way than that to restore some discipline for Boehner.

It is looking more and more like the twined issues of the budget deficit and tax overhaul will be solved in a series of deals that will not fully go into effect until 2015 - by which time the economy will have recovered enough to absorb all the tax increases that will needed.

All this rather than a Grand Bargain.The tax icreases, if properly timed, will negate the need of the Fed to increase interest rates to prevent inflation.

Then Hillary runs for president.

[Peter G]

Not that I want to channel Carlyle but this is one of those moments when history hinges on the decisions of a single man. It certainly makes for an interesting philosophical question. To what degree does Boehner's conflation of his personal ambition with his party's existence and or the interests of the country he nominally serves is any sort of good thing? I had not thought of this from the perspective you offer. I suppose the leader of many a barbarian horde has been called upon to restrain the passions of his troops lest the looting and pillaging go too far.

[shsavage]

Yet, in spite of, or perhaps because of, Bohener's so-called "virtue" he's liable to be replaced as speaker. The rumor mill has been spinning for days about it: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/12/22/Laura-Ingraham-Sources-Say-Paul-Ryan-to-Replace-John-Boehner-as-Speaker

So the question remains: If Boehner becomes convinced that he's going to get the axe anyway, why not do the right thing?

[mdblanche]

"The speaker probably believes--or rather knows--that a passed bill now would only doom his renewed speakership later; thereupon the odds of a real Neanderthal taking charge would increase exponentially; and then absolutely nothing but tortured tea-party cretinism would ever make it out of the House."

Wait, how exactly does this differ from the current situation?