Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fire Boehner: We Only Need 16 Votes to Depose Boehner
Red State ^ | 12/5/2012 | Ned Ryun

Posted on 12/06/2012 3:35:45 AM PST by IbJensen

If conservatives want to keep the House and win the Senate, we need to fire John Boehner as speaker of the House. We only need 16 House votes to do it.

As most conservatives know, Boehner and the House GOP Steering Committee decided to purge four conservative House members from their committee. Congressmen Justin Amash and Tim Huelskamp were removed from the House Budget Committee, and Congressmen David Schweikert and Walter Jones were cut from the Financial Services Committee.

Amash, Huelskamp, and Schweikert were targeted because they were too fiscally conservative—all three have voted against Boehner’s debt ceiling hikes. Amash and Huelskamp were the only two GOP votes against House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget.

Amash explained that vote at yesterday’s Bloggers’ Briefing at the Heritage Foundation, “It’s unacceptable to have unbalanced budgets until 2040.”

For anyone outside of DC, this statement seems obvious. Only in Washington is balancing the budget radical.

Many conservatives voted for the Ryan budget because they didn’t want to “let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” I understand that, but we shouldn’t criticize those who actually understand the depth of our debt problem and plan to propose real answers.

If Speaker Boehner wants to purge independent, bold conservatives—I think it’s time he gets fired as Speaker. Not only for the purge. He has failed to effectively win negotiations with President Obama and appointed moderate committee chairs. To the public, Boehner may appear radical but in reality he proposes milquetoast policies, like the tax-hikes he proposed this week.

While the caucus has already voted in support of John Boehner as speaker of the 113th Congress, the final floor vote doesn’t happen until early January.

Everyone thinks it’s a fairytale, but the Conservative Movement is capable of firing Boehner with just 16 votes.

The House rules demand that a Speaker receive a majority—218 votes—to be elected speaker. If no nominee for speaker receives 218, the House remains speakerless—as it did during parts of the Civil War.

If 16 House Republicans were to abstain from voting for Speaker, Boehner would only receive 217 votes.

Once we depose Boehner and cause a firestorm, the Republican caucus will get the memo: Pick someone else! These 16 Republicans only need to hold out until the caucus chooses a new leader.

For Speaker, I suggest members who are anti-establishment, but still have broad support. Congressmen Jim Jordan of Ohio would be my pick. He just finished leading the Republican Study Committee and proposed the best budget we’ve seen come out of Congress.

Republicans and conservatives deserve a more articulate, more conservative leader. In fact, we need one if we want to keep the House majority and take the Senate. Boehner has been Obama’s punching bag and has lost every public battle with the President. Now, he’s waging an internal war on conservatives.

Remember, we lost seats in the House under his leadership. He has failed as spokesman for the movement. Boehner has been in Congress for 22 years, and he looks like and embodies the typical DC politician. Can’t we find someone fresher to lead the party forward?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: 112th; boehner; boner; ditherer; fiscalcliff; poorrepresentation; rino
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last
What possible good is a speaker who has to be constantly beat over the head to get to do the right thing? I personally believe this man is functionally stupid! Bronco Bama probably laughs his ass off at the ineptitude of this useful idiot.

Boner has no leadership skills other than the Soviet politburo tactics to give himself five votes on the Steering Committee.

Get this embarrassment out of there and assign him something useful he can do like tend the cloakroom.

1 posted on 12/06/2012 3:36:05 AM PST by IbJensen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Yes, he needs to be fired. He won’t be, but he certainly needs to be.


2 posted on 12/06/2012 3:43:19 AM PST by The Working Man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Here’s another thought........All those who Bohner “demoted”, should get together and make it known to Bohner that they are going to change to the DEMOCRATE’s side. Let’s see, if the House lost those votes, guess the Repubs side would look a little smaller and they would loose control of the House. Play the Democrats game AGAINST Bohner. Bet he would change his tune pretty fast then.

Better yet, get rid of Bohner and use the 16 votes to dump HIM.


3 posted on 12/06/2012 3:43:42 AM PST by DaveA37
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

I sent an email to my Rep., Glenn Thompson, indicating I would like to see a more principled, conservative leader in that position. Hopefully it doesnt get laughed at ;)


4 posted on 12/06/2012 3:59:58 AM PST by Spacetrucker (Sorry, folks, give my spot in the handbasket to an angry lib >:))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

According to today’s NYT, Boehner has never been more popular. Republicans who cave to the Democrats are always popular with the Leftist media. It’s only principled conservatives who are flailed within an inch of their lives by this corrupt media machine.


5 posted on 12/06/2012 4:13:17 AM PST by txrefugee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Where are we to find 16 Republicans that have back bones?


6 posted on 12/06/2012 4:15:35 AM PST by DH (Once the tainted finger of government touches anything the rot begins)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Boehner is a weak Speaker.


7 posted on 12/06/2012 4:17:41 AM PST by Venturer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

“If 16 House Republicans were to abstain from voting for Speaker, Boehner would only receive 217 votes.”

What about democrats voting to keep the useful idiot in the position?


8 posted on 12/06/2012 4:23:04 AM PST by WinMod70
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

If sixteen to eighteen Republican members with stones make clear that Boner WILL NOT become Speaker, they will save the Republican party and possibly the Nation.


9 posted on 12/06/2012 4:26:05 AM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WinMod70
What about democrats voting to keep the useful idiot in the position?

They would have to clear it with San Fran Nan ahead of time, and she would have to plan and agree to lose the Speaker ship, making the House and Senate a rubber stamp for Obama.

Dictator Obama would then have no need of Nancy.

History doesn't work out so well for unneeded socialists.

10 posted on 12/06/2012 4:36:16 AM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it, and the Constitution and law mean what WE say.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Venturer

Boehner is a weak Speaker.

Today....however, in a couple months, Boehner will do something out of character and suddenly he will be the Savior again and God help you if you bash him. It is a vicious cycle around here.


11 posted on 12/06/2012 4:36:38 AM PST by napscoordinator (GOP Candidate 2020 - "Bloomberg 2020 - We vote for whatever crap the GOP puts in front of us.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DH
Where are we to find 16 Republicans that have back bones?

It's not a matter of backbone so much as it is finding 16 that aren't closeted homosexuals, philanderers, tax cheats or garden variety perverts. It's a rare event when the establishment lets someone into elected office who isn't completely compromised with enough documented proof to blackmail them into compliance. Think I'm kidding? Just take a look at every scandal that comes to light and I can almost guaranty that they did something counter to the establishment's wishes a few days or weeks earlier. Boner isn't going anywhere, folks.

12 posted on 12/06/2012 4:38:36 AM PST by Orangedog (An optimist is someone who tells you to 'cheer up' when things are going his way)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

WEAK SISTER

More importantly, Boenher has proven he's not up to the task of defending the Constitution and taking a firm stand for fiscal responsibility in the face of reckless spending.

Compromise with communism? You're FIRED!

13 posted on 12/06/2012 4:39:47 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Bohner is pathetic but as someone else here noted probably true, no one wants his job to be O’s bitch.

I see no reason to be optimistic.


14 posted on 12/06/2012 4:51:59 AM PST by sickoflibs (Has Bohner caved yet? And called it historic again?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sickoflibs

15 posted on 12/06/2012 4:53:50 AM PST by IbJensen (Liberals are like Slinkies, good for nothing, but you smile as you push them down the stairs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Agree but since the house republicans would just “hire” another one just like him, not sure what we would accomplish. It is more important the next election that we replace the libs/rinos with fewer sheep.


16 posted on 12/06/2012 4:57:09 AM PST by vet7279
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Just because some guy named Ned says that 218 votes are needed to elect a Speaker, and thus that 16 Republicans voting “present” can keep Boehner from the Speakership, does not make it so. The rules of the House have stated since at least 1913 (the earliest Speaker election analyzed by the Congressional Research Service in its 2011 study) that the election of Speaker requires a majority not of members, but of votes cast *for a person*. Thus, vacancies, abstentions, *and people voting “Present”* will not be included in the denominator. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30857.pdf

And this isn’t some arcane theory by the CRS; it was exactly what occurred as recently as 1997. That was the year of the attempted “coup” against Newt Gingrich, which fell apart, but around 8-10 Republicans voted “Present” in the Speaker election (plus 2 Republicans voted for RINO Jim Leach, 2 others voted for Republicans who had retired from Congress, and I assume that Newt abstained, as is customary for Speaker candidates). Due to all of those “Present” votes and abstentions, only 213 votes were required to elect a Speaker, and Newt was elected with 216 votes. Maybe Ned Ryun should do a little reading before shooting off his mouth next time.

The House of Representatives for the 113th Congress will convene with at most 434 members (Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s seat will be vacant). If 16 Republicans vote “Present,” at most 418 votes will be cast for a person for Speaker, meaning that Boehner would need only 210 votes to be elected Speaker. But if 34 Republicans vote “Present,” then Pelosi or some other Democrat could be elected Speaker with the 201 Democrat votes. So voting “Present” for Speaker won’t keep Boehner from being elected Speaker, unless so many Republicans do it that a Democrat gets elected Speaker.

The only way that 16 Republicans can prevent Boehner or a Democrat from becoming Speaker would be if they voted for actual persons, not vote “Present.” And that is not going to happen. All incoming Republican members had the chance to select the party’s Speaker candidate, and they all voted for Boehner; maybe a handful will cast protest votes for Ron Paul or something (I betcha that Paultard Justin Amash of MI-03 does just that), but it won’t come close to 16.


17 posted on 12/06/2012 4:57:51 AM PST by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll defend your rights?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

That’s funny.

Just Last night I had that same thought of Bohner as the cowardly lion too. (not kidding)
His mannerisms are so close to that character.

But then I thought of McConnell as the Straw man and Ryan as the Tin man.


18 posted on 12/06/2012 5:02:25 AM PST by sickoflibs (Has Bohner caved yet? And called it historic again?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen
We Only Need 16 Votes to Depose Boehner

Assuming no 'rats cross over and vote for Boner in order to foil the conservative "coup".

19 posted on 12/06/2012 5:05:34 AM PST by kevkrom (If a wise man has an argument with a foolish man, the fool only rages or laughs...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Bohner has a game he plays to keep House Republicans from turning against him that he plays each time.

Leading to the surrender he gets on TV and keeps saying what Republicans wont go along with, But in the end there is little that O cant get out of the R house. Thenn Bohner says “I tried my best. I was on your side. This was the best I could get.”


20 posted on 12/06/2012 5:06:20 AM PST by sickoflibs (Has Bohner caved yet? And called it historic again?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson