How The House Can Remove John Boehner As Speaker

[ProSense]

How The House Can Remove John Boehner As Speaker

By Ian Millhiser

Last night, the House handed Speaker John Boehner an embarrassing defeat. Boehner had to cancel a vote on his proposed plan to enact a short term debt ceiling hike and then trigger another default crisis in just six months because his own GOP-dominated House lacks the votes necessary to pass it. Indeed, according to one whip count, Boehner may be as much as 12 votes short of the majority he needs to pass his plan.

It is possible, if unlikely, that Boehner could still dig up the votes he needs to pass his plan. Many commentators, however, have already labeled his caucus’ decision on his plan a referendum on Boehner that could potentially put “Boehner’s Speakership is on the line.”

If Boehner’s caucus wants to depose him, the House Rules allow this to happen. According to Jefferson’s Manual, a 19th century procedural manual that has been largely incorporated into the House Rules:

A Speaker may be removed at the will of the House, and a Speaker pro tempore appointed.

A resolution declaring the Office of Speaker vacant presents a question of constitutional privilege, though the House has never removed a Speaker. It has on several occasions removed or suspended other officers, such as Clerk and Doorkeeper. A resolution for the removal of an officer is presented as a matter of privilege.

There is, however, a catch. Speaker Boehner may presently be the highest ranking Republican in Congress, but speakers are elected by the entire House — not simply the majority party. A resolution removing Speaker Boehner — most likely because of a Tea Party revolt seeking to replace him with someone even further to the right — would require either overwhelming support in Boehner’s own caucus or collusion with the Democrats.

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[Morizovich]

1. And replace him with who? Cantor???

Why not ressurrect Dick Cheney for the job? :puke:

[ProSense]

3. Who cares?

What the hell is the difference? Boehner has catered to the teabaggers just as much as Cantor.

He presided over the repeal of health care, passing the Ryan budget, cutting the CFPB funding, etc.

There is absolutely no difference between Boehner and Cantor.

[Ter]

12. Careful what you wish for

The Tea Baggers despise him and are calling for him to resign. Cantor too isn't Tea enough. Speaker Tom McClintock, Speaker Justin Amash, or Speaker Ron Paul is what they want.

[Fearless]

15. +1

[Ter]

16. And Minority Leader Mike Lee in the Senate

n/t

[monmouth]

2. I bet L'il Eric is licking his chops about now. The thought of him as

speaker terrifies me..

[ProSense]

5. The

ensuing civil war would be priceless.

[monmouth]

8. Definitely a pay-per-view event. n/t

[Morizovich]

10. Speaker Whiney Wontor

Doesn't terrify me; just makes me wanna :puke:

[Ter]

13. How would the far-right feel about a Jewish Speaker like Cantor?

No good, I'd imagine.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. They can remove him through a vote of their members. I do think Cantor has been

working behind the scenes with the Teabagger Caucus to sabotage Boehner as Speaker so that he can ascend. But even then, the caucus has to vote FOR Cantor.

[yellowcanine]

9. The whole House votes for Speaker. So unless he resigns I believe it would take a vote of the whole

House to remove him.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. Yes, I know, but Republicans typically nominate their leader and then the House votes

Either way, Republicans have enough votes to put forward whomever they want. They WILL vote in lockstep.

[LiberalFighter]

6. That would be a quandry for the Democrats.

1) Support removing Boehner resulting in Cantor being Speaker. Then they would be just as responsible for any further mess.

2) Refuse to support his removal. That could be a problem too but I don't think it we would suffer as much. The key would be let others know that Boehner has been trying but elements within his party (Teabaggers) are the reason for his failure.

[ProSense]

7. Nope

they can all vote for Pelosi.

It is, to say the least, exceedingly unlikely that any current Republicans would vote to restore Nancy Pelosi to the speaker’s chair. At the same time, however, it is easy to imagine a situation where Boehner is removed and his caucus divides among several GOP candidates. In that situation, Pelosi could have the power to play kingmaker — and to potentially exact concessions in return for her caucus’ support.

[Ter]

14. Yes, but she would still lose

Not enough Democratic votes.

[AlinPA]

11. That would open it up for Louie Gohmert, my first choice. nt

[Tx4obama]

18. I wonder what the Doorkeeper did to get removed/suspended? n/t

[Tx4obama]

19. There's actually a page on Wikipedia for the U.S. House Doorkeeper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doorkeeper_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives