The Wall Street Journal's editorial page noted earlier this week that John Boehner quietly deep-sixed Paul Ryan's attempt to force money cut from budgets to be sequestered in an untappable account until the fiscal year's end. Further, use of the money would be subject to a full House vote.
This way, Ryan reasoned, individual committee fiefdom's couldn't play bait and switch with budget cuts, using supposed-savings to grease other wheels in sub- or committee votes.
Before Ryan knew what was happening, according to the Journal, Boehner quickly gaveled the question to a voice vote and defeated it.
This is deeply troubling. Some say that Boehner appreciated the Tea Party movement early on and accommodated it. I never bought this line.
What Boehner did this week signals, to me, that my worst fears are coming true. Unless and until Boehner is braced, 24/7, by Eric Cantor on one side and Paul Ryan on the other, he's going to cave back into the arms of waiting old-line spending bulls in the GOP House caucus.
New brooms sweep cleanly. I always felt, and continue to feel, that Boehner's membership in the GOP House leadership that lost control of the chamber four years ago should have prohibited his becoming Speaker.
Eric Cantor is the obvious new face who should have been elected Speaker. Boehner's antics with floor votes and bushwacking his own Budget Committee chair, Ryan, tells you he's no true Tea Party friend, nor has he gotten religion about changing the way things are done in Washington.
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