When John Boehner takes over one of the most powerful jobs in Washington this week, he says his first order of business is to make himself less powerful.
On Wednesday the new speaker of the House of Representatives plans to offer a package of rule changes that, he says, will give minority-party members more of a say and decentralize power. In short, Ohio Republican Mr. Boehner is promising he'll be a different figure from many speakers throughout history�from Republican Joseph Cannon a century ago to his immediate predecessor, Democrat Nancy Pelosi�who kept a tighter leash. But there's a reason so many speakers try to keep close control: It works.
"New speakers always say they want to have a more open process," says Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat. "Then the sheer demands of making the trains run on time and getting things passed requires that you change your mind."
How this tension is resolved�between Mr. Boehner's promises and the need to get things done�will help determine the success of the new Republican majority. The GOP is in a hurry to show that it's different, not just from Democrats but from its old self. Mr. Boehner himself was catapulted into a GOP leadership role in 2006 after a fund-raising scandal deposed then-majority leader Tom DeLay.
Mr. Boehner now finds himself master of a Republican majority created by a group of newcomers whose hallmark is a restless cry for action. On issues from cutting spending to raising the government's debt ceiling, Mr. Boehner's burden will be letting his freshmen members vent while keeping the House on track. His pledge to reshape Congressional practices isn't aimed at Beltway wonks, but at voters who view Congress as the epitome of a dysfunctional government. A primary example cited by Republicans: President Barack Obama's health overhaul, which they criticize as having been written by a small group of Democratic party leaders who traded favors with key lawmakers. Democrats reject that, saying the bill included many Republican ideas and played out in public for nearly a year.
Mr. Boehner has promised to give more power to committee chairmen, and to put cameras in meetings of the powerful Rules Committee, which sets guidelines for congressional debate.
"I'm going to run the House my way and work with members on both sides of the aisle to decide what should come to the floor and what shouldn't come to the floor," Mr. Boehner told reporters recently. He declined a request for an interview.
One of Wednesday's first votes could be Mr. Boehner's package of rule changes. Among them:
� Lawmakers will be required to vote on whether or not to raise the federal debt ceiling, a move sought by tea-party representatives. Current rules let the House automatically raise the limit when they pass a budget.
� All legislation must be posted online 72 hours before going to the House floor to prevent party leaders from changing bills the night before House votes, as has been the practice over the years.
GOP House members are expected to approve the changes at a meeting on Tuesday, making passage most likely a formality when the full House votes.
We got dudes with names like Weiner and Boner running the country. We're screwed, literally.
John Boehner's name is pronounced "Bay-ner"..
To all gunmaker critics- "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.."- Teddy Roosevelt
Hey at least give the guy a chance. I would not believe anything that little pinhead Weiner says. He is named just right. Boehner HAS to better than NAZI Pelosi, a [bleep] would be better than that witch!
I love how they go to a Democrat to get sound bites on how the Republican Speaker is going to act. In fact there's not one quote in there about what Boehner is saying he'll be doing, just a bunch of sound bites that make him look weak.
White House is scared of Boehner, and so are the Senate Democrats. With luck he'll be making them go on record with votes to keep stuff that the American people never wanted.
Boehner comes from a district where the Tea Party controls nearly everything. Not saying he won't get out of line, but if he does, he is going to hear about it from credible authorities.
LISA MURKOWSKI!!!!! She's the epitome of a f'ing RINO! That female genitalia voted for the Dream Act, Omnibus Bill & DADT. She would best exemplify a RINO. She should pull an Arlen Spectar and switch parties!
