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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPelosi, Democrats Face Tricky Decision on Keeping Boehner as Speaker
WASHINGTONThe fate of House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio), battling a campaign by conservatives to oust him, could be in the hands of the Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
Democrats so far have been tight-lipped as to how they might vote on a measure aimed at cutting short Mr. Boehners third term as speaker, which conservatives say they could bring to the House floor at any time.
Though the timing of the effort is unclear, Mr. Boehners opponents appear to be taking advantage of the fact that he is currently under pressure from the right wing of his party. A group of conservatives wants to block government fundingrisking a shutdownunless money for Planned Parenthood is eliminated. Mr. Boehner needs to figure out how to keep the government open when current funding expires on Sept. 30 while still showing social conservatives he will fight for their cause.
Mrs. Pelosi and her caucus also face a tricky decision on how to approach the Boehner question. On the one hand, they worry that if they vote against a resolution to oust him, they could look like they helped the leader of the opposing party.. On the other hand, Democrats know that voting with the conservatives to topple Mr. Boehner could mean paving the way for a more conservative replacement.
(snip)
One option is that Democrats could simply vote present or not vote at all, and thus avoid explicitly backing Mr. Boehner. That would leave his fate to be determined by Republican votes alone. Mr. Boehner, who is seen as having majority support among the 247 Republicans in his caucus, would be likely to win a vote in which Democrats didnt participate.
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/pelosi-democrats-face-tricky-decision-on-keeping-boehner-as-speaker-1442602653
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)replacement could be. It would certainly be worse. I know that's hard to believe but really Boehner is not tea party. The worst thing that ever happened in the Republican Party is tea party. I think since Boehner has the votes to stay, nancy should vote present.
still_one
(92,492 posts)Faux pas
(14,703 posts)of one, half dozen of the other. We've been screwn since we let them take over.
murielm99
(30,780 posts)but keep him toothless.
Massacure
(7,528 posts)If 188 democrats for for Pelosi, 124 Republics for for Boehner and 123 Republics for say Paul Ryan, doesn't Pelosi become speaker?
Chan790
(20,176 posts)the GOP would then immediately bring another vote to end her term before going into the backroom to hash out their own Speaker fight in order to bring only one consensus candidate forward for the Speakership.
Chan790
(20,176 posts)It has two upsides...Democrats get something they want out of Boehner; it'll really piss off the extreme right even more against Boehner who they then know they cannot possibly get rid of.
What do we want? It has to be good...
AlinPA
(15,071 posts).Just listen to his rhetoric- no different tan any of the others.
lindysalsagal
(20,785 posts)I think we should abstain so that we don't get blamed for their insane dysfunction.