Will the Young Guns Force ‘Speaker’ Boehner to a Duel?
At this moment Washington collective wisdom points to House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio as the next speaker of the House if the Republicans win control of the House of Representatives, as expected, on November 2.
Collective wisdom is often wrong. For politics by its very nature is unpredictable — just ask Scott Brown, the Republican senator from Massachusetts, now sitting in the “Kennedy seat.”
Washington wisdom regarding “Speaker” Boehner could be challenged if the Republican House victory is perceived as an overwhelming victory for the young conservative movement led by the self-titled “Young Guns,” comprised of Eric Cantor (the leader), Paul Ryan (the thinker), and Kevin McCarthy (the strategist).
Their book/manifesto titled Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders is aptly named. PJ Media CEO Roger L. Simon dubbed Young Guns “The Conservative 2.0 Campaign Book” back in mid-September, which was also when it grabbed such headlines as the Washington Post’s “With new book, Cantor disavows power grab.”
So will Boehner’s number-two man, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, force Boehner to a duel for speaker of the House?
Not likely, but not totally out of the realm of possibility either. For conservative leaders outside of Congress are less than wildly enthusiastic about “Speaker” Boehner and offer lukewarm support.
Cantor is on record as saying he will support Boehner as speaker, but if his young conservative revolution has some really strong tailwinds coming off November 2, all bets are off.
According to the same Washington Post piece, “Of course this Boehner-Cantor alliance could fray if the Republicans win.”
The question is: by how many seats will the Republicans take the House and do larger numbers of freshmen benefit Cantor or Boehner?
The possibility surely exists for a duel if a newly enlarged posse of “gun-toting” young’uns feels Eric Cantor best represents who they are, what they campaigned on, and what they hope to accomplish in Congress.
Keep in mind that the back cover of Young Guns says: “Together the Young Guns are changing the face of the Republican Party … .” Of course that face could be Boehner’s.
For there is already talk of members not committing to Boehner right now.
Meanwhile, Cantor, Ryan, and McCarthy have been busy crisscrossing the country campaigning for more “young gun” congressional candidates with the intent of storming Capitol Hill, raising the flag of a new young conservative revolution, then getting to work charting a course of limited government, free markets, fiscal responsibility, and a rebranding of the Republican Party.
(Although notice how seldom the word “Republican” is used to describe this group.)
Take the hot-button issue of earmarks, for example. Last week Eric Cantor fired off what could be perceived as a mild shot at Boehner, by advocating an outright end to earmarks — stronger language then Boehner’s oddly worded recent commitment to end earmarks “as we know them.”
It’s probably all high-stakes semantics, but it might also be Eric Cantor further positioning himself as the ultimate fiscal hawk to all the newly elected members who might want to be more closely identified with him over Boehner.
However, it has been widely reported that Boehner provides “adult leadership” and “scoffs at suggestions” that the “Young Guns” might undermine his leadership. “They are some of our brightest, most energetic members,” he said in a telephone interview between campaign stops for House candidates in the Dakotas as reported in a very fair and balanced Huffington Post piece (“John Boehner: Speaker-in-Waiting?“).
Eric Cantor? I can see the left, the UN, the Islamofascists and the EUrofascists all screaming how he is part of the International Zionist Plot to take over the world.
If they are all screaming, then Cantor as Speaker would be a good thing!
Mr Cantor, My name is Victor Bagnato. I do not have a voice but I do have a vote, I am a republican. Sir, I have been blessed with a gift of discernment and see the current spin on this election. The media is minimizing the election reults to voter fear regartding the economy……. and then if the economy doesnt improve they will say.. See, the republicans made it worse!!
Dont let the media spin this!!
Please sir!
It is about Arizona! Govt intrusion and right now the Media and many republicans are following the spin!
Sir is there any chance I could speak with you some time?
The left is using immigration to gain a stronghold with Hispanics and we must not lret that lead us!
Many republicans are following the media on immigration but Hispanics are very interested in Family values too. We cant win on immigration..We Must get our own lead and not let the media lead us on the issues!!!
“Washington wisdom regarding “Speaker” Boehner could be challenged if the Republican House victory is perceived as an overwhelming victory for the young conservative movement led by the self-titled “Young Guns,” comprised of Eric Cantor (the leader), Paul Ryan (the thinker), and Kevin McCarthy (the strategist).”
Boehner had better listen to Cantor, Ryan, and McCarthy because they represent the last best hope for the Republican Party. If the Republicans take over Congress in two weeks, Boehner and the other Republican Party elites had better listen to these new conservatives. If they don’t, there will be a split in the Republican Party and there is a very real possiblity that a Third Party could be created by 2012. Don’t sell the Tea Party activists short. We are here to stay and if the conservatives we elect in 2010 don’t do what they are supposed to do, then there is very little reason to remain with the Republican Party. However, I get this feeling that even the Republican leaders in Washington are starting to “get” this message. If not, we will leave the party and try things on our own. The Republicans need us if they want to stay in the majority and they know it.
I am not a conservative anymore. I am a reactionary. I support taking a sledge hammer to the entitlement-welfare state. We are going broke paying money to each other. Social justice is I keep what I worked for.
Who the hell is buying California bonds? California sells bonds to pay pensions and welfare. Who could possibly think that’s a good investment.
If they take control of the House I will be very dissappointed if they don’t oust Boehner.
Nice CYA Ms Adams.
However, all one needs to do is abide by the Constitution and respect the will of the people so that it is clear enough that any child can see and understand it as fact and truth.
Establishment interests (this article included) are now very busy trying to position themselves in positions of control and compromise that overrule the voters.
The conventional establishment thinking, both political and mainstream media being that the Tea Party’s mission will essentially be finished after the November elections.
Wrong.
In addition to the dirty politics as usual crap, the American people have had enough of politicians and the media’s brainwashing that distorts, twists and weasel-words everything to suit their own purposes.
Bottom Line: Your father’s kind of politics are no longer in effect. The Young Guns will have been elected to make sure it stays that way.
The Young Guns all the way, no more as usual politics in Washington.. I’m
all in favor of (Cantor’s) selection and would support this move for
his Speaker of the House….
People still don’t get it, so let me say this one more time, the Tea Party is
here to stay and we will make a difference one way or the other…..
Well, let’s have Fred and Fox and the Weekly Standard really toss the fox [no pun intended] into the hen house: GOP/TeaParty 2012 ticket – Palin/Cantor or Cantor/Palin vs. 0.
I believe john boehner needs to be replaced,For Three reasons1.New Beginnings/Fresh start.2.Inconsistancy;John Boehner is The Perfect Example of what conservative america wants as far as,Himself,Economically refusing earmarks.But as a leader,Hasn’t convinced his republican colleagues,To follow suit.The sign of a great leader,Is convincing the opposition,That it’s in their best interest, to come around to your way of thinking.Ronald Reagan,Was the last Republican with those Qualifications.Even radical Nancy Pelosi,is more qualified,In that perspective Than John Boehner,Or Mitch McConnell.The differences,are Nancy Pelosi’Is a Lying, Immoral,Godless,Lawless,Perverse,Corrupt,Sic-o-phant,Pathetic,and Poor Excuse,for a HumanBeing,Who is Anti-human Life,And Human Liberty;Never the less John Boehner,And Mitch McConnell.And the majority of the Republican Party,Think Like minorities,And not Leaders.Not always their Fault, in their defense though.The American People for 50 years have been held,Hostage by the Democrat Parties version of Shari’a Law,Which is Political Correctness;Then when a real leader,such as;Duncan Hunter Sr.,takes on this Lawless evil.The Republican Party,Their Leadership,And selective Constitutionalist Voters,Throw them under the bus,And Annoint John(Patty Hearst)McCain.The number one;Water Boy for the left,And Political Correctness.Just look at the Immature radical left views of John McCains,Wife,And Daughter.Then you Begin to understand Why?Which brings me to the number three reason why,America needs a change of leadership,in the Republican Party.3.No backbone,Against the Opposition,and Power for powers sake,For their Own Interest,Above America’s Interest;America needs a Leader that Thinks Like a Coach;Win for the team.”TEAM AMERICA”These leaders are to worried they might offend the other side,They no longer stand on principal.”Stand by your principals even if you stand alone,Better to lose with your principals in tact, then to win,With liars,and Thieves,and more lawlessness,and corruption.For what good is it to gain the world, To only lose your soul;”They do not respect Rule of LAW,and the Constitution. but instead Political Strategy,And Power for powers sake;Christine Odonnell,Is a perfect Example,of what i’m talking about,That the Republican establishment,Like their progressive liberal,counterparts,are Unprincipled.My choice for Speaker of the house is Michelle Bachman;Let the democrats feel the hammer,and Justice of True sexism,For Once.My choice for Senate majority leader is a toss-up between Jim Demint,And Mike Pence,As I believe Mike Pence,Will most likely, Run for President in 2012,That leaves Jim Demint.Those like Paul Ryan,Eric Cantor,And Mike McCarthy,Are best suited taking chairmanships away from liberals republicans Such as; Jerry Lewis,That heads up the Funding on the Appropriations Relations Commitee.Etc.To stop Earmarks,Pet Project Pork,Fraud,and Waste.Keep Darrel Issa Where he is at,In regards to Investigations,Of this Administration,and Their Society Predators,from the Justice Department,State Department,The E.P.A.The Treasury,Federal Reserve,Unions,The dept.of Education,And Other Organizations tied to this Administration.Do a Sweeping Audit.Which probably won’t be as effective,Until 2012,Under A Conservative President,And Congress,So there are Conservative Leadership in these Federal Departments,That Won’t Obstruct Justice With Enemies of the State,Political Hacks,And Trial Lawyers,Such as The A.C.L.U.This is my Opinion,And I’M Sticking to it;Jimmy Joe;”The Liarfryer”
Hear Hear! Boehner will be a disaster. He is a “moderate” with no guts to get in the trenches and brawl. We need someone who doesn’t give a crap about how he is portrayed and he strikes me as someone who is too timid and insecure about getting in the face of the left and telling them to F off. He also does not seem to have the communication skills necessary to tell the American public what is needed, why, and what is being done to reverse course. He is just another “moderate” going along to get along, and when his party was in the minority, all he had to do was stay silent or oppose without rancor to seem like a hero. We should not attribute skills to him that we think he might have simply because he stood in opposition.
Jimmy Joe,
You probably have really good points in your post. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you’re making solid arguments. But the way you wrote your post is nearly impossible for me to read with all of the incomplete sentences, random capitalizations, and scattered conceptualizations. Please seek help in getting these problems fixed. I really want to read what you have to say, the same as anyone who isn’t a blatant troll to the web.
Looking forward to coherently understanding you,
Zamir
I agree! When I see a jimmy joe post, I pass it by. He may be a genius, but his post is unreadable. Please jimmy, get some help. I want to see what you have to say.
Here’s what I want to know. Why did Eric Cantor skip a joint session of Congress to go to a Britney Spears concert? And why did he go alone and not take his teenage daughter with him?
Kind of creepy don’t ya think?
If this is true, it’s kind of creepy that you know it. Are you stalking him?
If it isn’t true, then at least it isn’t nearly as creepy, just business as usual.
I heard it on Fox News. I report. You decide.
Eric Cantor would be the biggest disaster as Speaker of the House that ever could happen to the Republican party. Eric Cantor was one of the first ones to back off of a full repeal of Ocare. Eric Cantor was right there with the Republicans that voted for all of the Bush bills including Medicare Part D, No Child Left Behind, TARP, and he voted for the 2007 Democrat pre-cursor to Cap and Trade, that funded many many “green” initiatives, that funded alternative fuels, and subsidized them. Eric Cantor voted for Cash for Clunkers under Obama. Cantor wants to reach across the aisle, and find compromises with the Liberals, should they win the House.
Eric Cantor is very much so a believer in “big government”, as long as it is the Republicans that are in charge. Remember the interview he had with Laura Ingram? He did his usual whining, as Laura drilled him on his already stated position that he just wanted to tweak Ocare. He has since changed his tune on many things, but, do not be fooled by Cantor, he is not being honest. As Speaker, he will destroy the Republican party forever. Eric Cantors “Young Guns” program is to get enough Republican House members elected, that will owe him their votes for Speaker. He is trying to buy that position. He promoted and pushed a Republican in a district near me that voted for the biggest tax increase in the states history. He also voted for another tax that was found unconstitutional by the courts, and was overturned. That may be one of Cantor’s “young Guns.” I know Eric Cantor well, he is my rep. I’ve heard his interviews on local radio. Every time he speaks, the callers line up with their utter disbelief of what he says, and how he says it. He cannot think on his feet, just as when he threw a good Republican candidate under the bus for participating in Reenactments. He was whipped by one of the biggest lying Liberals, Debbie Wasserman-Schults, and couldn’t talk his way out of a three sided box. And that is who should be the Speaker?????
Who the heck cares what Fred Barnes, or Bill Kristol have to say. They are well known for supporting RINOS. Palin was the exception. They will turn on her also if another hand picked RINO comes on the scene for 2012, such as Pawlenty, Romney, and yes even Daniels. Daniels recently said he would cut the defense budget, even further than the Obama administration has. Barnes and Kristol have not had credibility with conservatives for years.
Wow, thank you for this information, Sandy. This just confirms my impression of the situation. I don’t trust Cantor or Paul Ryan as far as I can throw them. I have known for some time that Paul Ryan is a greasy used car salesman in bed with the neocons. That automatically makes him unqualified to have any sort of leadership position in the party. He has been proving himself a RINO every other month or so, whether it is praising the Progressives, Wilson, and Teddy Roosevelt; submitting to the Dept of Labor for funding for green jobs for his district; proposing to keep the welfare state with some privatization tweaks (he actually calls for the way things were in the Bush years); and his call for a VAT tax at a time when no one on the right does. Not to mention his horrible voting record on the items you have mentioned. That Cantor aligns himself with Ryan speaks volumes about Cantor’s character, or lack thereof, as far as I am concerned. Are we supposed to be impressed because they are “young?” How cheesy and patronizing. They are puppets for the neocons’ big government agenda, and it comes as no surprise that Fred Barnes, #2 in the neocon hive, has been endlessly pushing them on conservatives.
The neocons have gotten their hooks into Mitch Daniels as well. They have aligned him with Paul Ryan and convinced him that he is the next philosopher-king, that he is intrinsically special, that his job is to assert dominance over and unify the public, and that he is above them and such petty considerations as the Tea Party asks for. Well, he can take his and Ryan’s VAT tax and stick it where the sun don’t shine. They obviously have no clue that we are at total war, and any tax increase is a weapon pointed against us; it would be a capitulation on our part. Higher taxes cannot save the Republic. The Republic will survive if entitlement programs and other illegitimate spending are abolished, and it will not if they aren’t. Taxes have no relevance to the outcome, but they are a moral abomination. We need a candidate who understands this and will fight to the bitter end against the spending.
Ditto (except that Cantor is not my Rep). I’ve always been underwhelmed by Cantor’s interviews and I was sickened by his interview with Laura Ingraham. I’ll take “Hell no!” Boehner.
Cantor will be another Newt Gingrich.
Not buying an interesting theory vying to establish some kind of relevance. You had me at hello Myra, but then really jumped the shark trying to spin cloakroom gossip into something relevant.
Are you serious with the Fred Barnes carping? The same Fred who gave us REBEL IN CHEIF? The same Fred who was selling that Bush’s spending was a one-off consequence of Iraq? After all the bone headed pablum the Standard barfed up cheerleading for the great adventure of nation building you buy [and now try & sell] the limp claim that Kristol & Barnes ‘discovered’ Palin?
Cantor, MaCarthy & Ryan, if they are smart, which they have all shown they are very much so thus far, want nothing to do with a palace coo-coo. Why take the reigns from Boehner? Cui Bono? Why reboot conservative rule with a bloody intercene fight for leader? To possibly please the likes of #8 JIMMY JOE?
It would be a supremely stupid move, if for no other reason that this leadership role is going to be extremely hard. What is necessary is a very heavy hand willing to make what will ulitimately be very unpopular decisions. The call to duty is about sacrifice and pain. Anyone up to the task is going to be the most hated person in America MOST OF THE TIME.
You want a peek at the kind of leadership I am talking about? Look at Mitch Daniels taking a level headed glance toward tax policy going forward and just about surrending all possibility of growing interest in his running as Prez in favor of…..CALLING FOR A VAT to balance the necessary cutting….
No. John Boehner did get his head handed to him time and time again by Nancy the Hun Pelosi for the past 4 years. He’s been on the defensive since day one. But that said, he did maintain discipline as minority leader. The only bolting that got done to push through the Dems agenda was in the Senate, not the house. The man accepted a tough job at a time when the party was at it’s lowest in my lifetime, and he didn’t do all that bad by most estimates, given the bad hand he inherited. (as much as I wanted to hang him multiple times over the past 4 years)
If anyone wanted to take the crown the moment was after Obama strode into town with 70% approvials. But then who wanted it?
Your posting is a weak side show gossipy whisp of an article because…there is no there there. Nobody on the right cares much about the ‘spends to much time at the tanning salon’ snipe. He was the speaker in bad times and, since he has held down the fort, and he obviously wants a shot at going on offence, he’s earned it.
It’s the mans to lose.
phoenix48- I am with you on Boehner. Yes, I’ve wanted to smack Boehner a time or two also, but, as you said, he did hold the R’s from voting for Pelosi’s bills. Mitch McConnell must be sent to sit in the back of the Senate. It has been his cats that could not be corralled when it came to holding out against Kagan Soto, Financial Reform, and other bad legislation.
Boehner was actually against putting out the “Pledge” which turned out to be a big disaster, which Boehner warned against so close to the election. I’ve been reading about tensions between Boehner and Cantor for a good while now. I’ve read that many House Republicans are very turned off by Cantor’s over-zealous, and obnoxious pushy methods in his climb up the ladder of power. He just doesn’t understand that the “Speaker” needs to be an articulate, fast thinking person, that can deflect criticizims of himself and the party, and, who can articulate conservative positions, without resorting to little girl whinning. Hard to do that when you are a faux conservative, or a part of the Republican elite caste system.
Eric Cantor is Jewish? Why would I care? Why would anyone care? I’m sick and tired of everyone’s “he’s black”, “he’s Jewish”, “she’s a woman”. These are all irrelevant. The only thing that matters is whether or not they take their oath of office seriously.
With Senator Mitch McConnell & RINO, Senator Bob Corker talking about not repealing ObamaCare, McConnell needs to go to.
I don’t trust any of these guys. Okay, Cantor is better than Boehner. But not one of them won’t fold like a cheap tent under the guise of bipartisanship (to hide a soft spine). There are new people out there who, if they win, have the cajones and clarity of thought to bring the country back to it’s core principles. They will need a Joe Miller, a Charles Lollar, a Carly Fiorina, a Linda McMahon, an Allen West, Jesse Kelly or Nick Popaditch to find their compass. The existing Republicans would be a wasted, even pyrrhic, victory for Republicans. Boehner is not interested in conservative principles, and his premature high profile is a downer.
Boehner must go!!! He is a RINO with a tan. . . time for some leadership with brass balls the size of Manhattan. . . . .
Boehner is nothing more than a “professional” politician (Televangelist, used car salesman, etc.) who knows the congressional and political process within the House of Representatives and the congress.
The new “young gun conservative” guru’s referred to are intelligent but have no clue how to return this nation its traditional values and once greatness. Government spending and debt are NOT what has systematically brought our nation to this point of crisis.
Systemic socialist creep excellerated from the 60′s and 70′s, consolidation and centralization of corporate economies, socialist labor unionization hijacking the traditional economies, corrupted government, broken congressional process and central to all things is the governments’ and judicials’ gross abuse of the constitutions commerce clause. These are the issue that should markedly identify what a conservative is and what they should be addressing 24/7 with some sound strategic plans to rectify. Especially, the commerce clause (constitutional amendment) and most of America’s problems would be fixed!
So, I have NO faith in any of the conservative gunslingers running around today with all their populist rhetoric and snake oil promises. Spending can be stopped and debts payed, but until the underlying causes of all the problems are addressed and fixed, we will continue to list until we sink, which is right around the next wake if people don’t wake up to the real problems.
Boehner is part of the problem, not part the solution. He enabled the The Moron for 8 years spending like there was no tomorrow. NOW he wants to be a conservative, yeh right.