The question they were mulling: Would they throw Boehner a lifeline and save his job if he needed their votes to survive?
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Boehner does not have much to comfort him these days.
Hoyer said he believed Republican leaders in the House would eventually call for a vote on a short-term continuing resolution that keeps the government open, but he wouldn’t discuss any formal strategy for his party’s next steps.
But at least there’s this: His job might be so thankless, no one else wants to do it. “I mean, who’s their champion?”
Yet it appears as if most Americans disagree with indecisive Republicans. In a video posted to his website Tuesday, Boehner said he would look past any political “controversies” that could arise, because “it’s the pope”.
[Kevin McCarthy defends Boehner, tells conservatives: “Let’s move on”].
Colorado’s three U.S. House Democrats joined with about 120 of their party colleagues this week in asking that Speaker John Boehner keep the lower chamber in session – every day – until a deal is reached to avert a government shutdown. Ask him to please use his influence to bring about a change that will make a significant difference on a matter that he says that he champions, that of life. It is deeply disappointing that Tea Party extremists in Congress are threatening to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding, an organization that provides critical health care services for men and women across the country every day.
[Meet the Donald Trump of the House of Representatives].
The would-be insurrectionists have made an impression. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to be House speaker. Most have alienated establishment-minded Republicans – and even many hard-nosed conservatives. “You can teach yourself to do anything, especially if you’re committed to a cause”. “Look, for the members of our conference that have military experience – they know you don’t shoot your own troops when you’re trying to fight the enemy”.
Speculation about Boehner’s vulnerability accelerated this summer with the filing by Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina of a motion to “vacate the chair”, a long-shot procedural move that if successful could lead to Boehner’s removal. In January, 25 Republicans opposed Boehner, but the most votes any other GOP candidate garnered was 12 – for Rep. Dan Webster (R-Fla.).
“I don’t believe in rewarding bad behavior”, he said.
“They could be the next one fragged”, Dent said.
Dent, a moderate, said he saw little chance a serious challenger to Boehner would emerge in the near future.
The complicated logistics of major events in the Capitol, like the annual State of the Union address, have been well-documented, but Boehner’s staff said the planning for the papal visit has been “about 1,000 percent more” elaborate than anything that’s been done previously in their time in the speaker’s office. That was done, but Bazan, in an interview Wednesday, said he had gotten no response “in writing” yet from members, including Houston-area U.S. Representatives Pete Olson, Michael McCaul, John Culberson, and Ted Poe. Boehner chose to ignore it, telling reporters it was “no big deal”.
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“I think it is a conversation that we ought to have with our leadership”, said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois.
