Boehner Announces He's Quitting, ALL CRYIED OUT.
House Speaker John Boehner has had enough. And on Friday at a closed meeting with his Republican members, he told them he plans to retire from Congress and resign his seat effective Oct. 30.
Boehner was facing a no confidence challenge to his leadership from the 40+ members of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who’ve been increasingly frustrated at Boehner’s inability to block President Obama’s second-term agenda, everything from the Iran deal to making a dent in Obamacare. Such a vote would’ve forced Boehner into the arms of Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats in order to survive, a move Boehner was apparently unwilling to make. So, he resigned.
“Speaker Boehner believes that the first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution,” his office said in a statement. “The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution.”
Almost since his first day in office, Boehner has struggled to reign in his right flank. This wasn’t the speakership he’d envisioned. As a young member in the 1990s, Boehner’s sole portrait in his office was of Nicholas Longworth, the last speaker from Ohio. As I wrote in our TIME cover story on Boehner at the beginning of his
speakership, he idolized Longworth, who was known for his pragmatism and deal making. But with his hands tied by the Tea Party, there were no deals Boehner could make; His attempts to pass sweeping legislation—a Grand Bargain to reduce long-term deficits, immigration reform, even tax reform—all fell victim to his party’s internal strife.
Boehner, 65, had planned to retire at the end of 2014, his office finally admitted publically for the first time after years of denying rumors. He’d bought a condo in Florida in February 2014, only to see his heir apparent, Majority Leader Eric Cantor lose his seat, another Tea Party casualty, forcing Boehner to soldier on. “The Speaker’s plan was to serve only through the end of last year. Leader Cantor’s loss in his primary changed that calculation,” his office said in a statement.
Boehner, a devout Catholic, on Thursday hosted Pope Francis and, his office said, prayed on the decision looming before him. The no confidence vote seems to be the final straw that broke Boehner’s will to remain.
“I really hope they don’t do it,” said former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, a Mississippi Republican, told me earlier this week of the vote. “I mean, I’m as conservative as they are, John’s as conservative as they are. We just disagree on tactics. Their tactics make no sense.” Indeed, had Boehner stayed, he likely would’ve been forced to ask for Democratic help—and the pound of flesh that they would’ve extracted would’ve killed his speakership any way. So, he decided, best to move on now rather than beggar his party to the opposition.
Boehner’s exit will likely elevate Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who took over Cantor’s spot in 2014. It’s a meteoritic and unlikely rise for the former California deli owner who was only elected to Congress in 2006. “The right flank likes McCarthy,” says one senior House GOP aide. “He has done a lot of work to reach out to them and, fairly or unfairly, they feel he listens more to them than Boehner does.”
Up until Friday, Boehner had been aggressively defending his position, granting an interview with Politico last week to underline his money-raising prowess. But, clearly, his calculations changed this week as he faced the no confidence vote followed by what is increasingly likely to be another government shutdown in late November or early December.
The conference greeted the news with mixed feelings. While some on the right celebrated, others expressed remorse. “Speaker Boehner has led the House through some of the toughest times our country has ever faced and did so with poise, patience, and an unmatched grace,” said Rep. Ed Royce, a California Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “He will be sorely missed. I thank John for his service to our nation and wish him and Debbie all the best moving forward.”
Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced Friday he will resign from Congress -- his seat as well as his speakership -- at the end of October after more than 20 years on Capitol Hill.
The resignation will likely see a throng of Republicans vie to replace Boehner, who in recent months has faced pressure to step down over internal GOP fighting on issues such as funding for disease research, an education bill and the possible renewal of the Export-Import Bank.
Below is a list of the members most likely to replace him. The list of those interested in cutting his throat is 8x the listed names.
1. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.: McCarthy has been the House majority leader since August 2014, after Eric Cantor was defeated in a primary and resigned, and was previously the majority whip. Just last week the Californian said he supported Boehner, but in a recent Politico report he was named as one of the top candidates to move into the speakership.
2. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.: Along with McCarthy, the former Budget Committee chairman and 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee is rumored by Politico to be a likely pick. He is popular among the House conference and is one of the best-known Republicans in the country. Like McCarthy, he also placed his support behind Boehner just last week. But in the immediate aftermath of Boehner's announcement, Ryan told NBC news that he would not run and that "it's a good job for an empty nester." Ryan has young children.
3. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas: The chairman of the Financial Services Committee, who stepped down from his position as the fourth-ranking House Republican in January 2013, has only recently been associated with a possible run for speaker. Hensarling would command support from the powerful Texas delegation, the largest Republican state bloc in the House.
4. Tom Price, R-Ga.: The current chairman of the Budget Committee has been seen as a potential speaker since he lost out on the bid for conference chairman to Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers of Washington in January 2013. His main support will come from grassroots conservatives. In 2014, he showed that he wished to remain a force in the GOP House by passing on the open Georgia Senate seat.
5. Steve Scalise, R-La.: The House majority whip has been a prominent name in the GOP since he brought calm during a rough patch for the party during the 112th Congress when a debt limit crisis caused deep divides. Likeo Price, Scalise decided to stay in power in the House instead of launching a Senate bid in 2014.
Embattled Speaker John Boehner, who rose from bartender's son to the most powerful man in Congress, will resign at the end of October, ending a tumultuous five-year tenure atop the House of Representatives.
Boehner, 65, planned to leave Congress at the end of 2014, one of his aides said Friday morning, but returned because of the unexpected defeat of Eric Cantor.
In the coming weeks, Boehner expected conservatives to try to strip him of his speakership — a vote he felt he could win, but one he and his allies thought would do serious harm to the institution.
Boehner was visibly emotional as he exited a meeting with Republicans surrounded by security guards. He declined to answer questions but said "thank you" when a reporter congratulated him on his retirement.
"This is a wonderful day," said the Ohio Republican, who canceled a scheduled news conference.
"The speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution," a Boehner aide said. "He is proud of what this majority has accomplished, and his speakership, but for the good of the Republican Conference and the institution, he will resign the speakership and his seat in Congress, effective Oct. 30."
On Thursday evening as he left the Capitol, Boehner told two reporters — one from POLITICO and another from The Washington Post — that he had nothing left to accomplish after he brought Pope Francis to the Capitol. When asked if he was resigning, Boehner laughed before exiting into an awaiting SUV with his Capitol Police detail.
First elected to the House in 1990, Boehner came into power on the momentum of the 2010 tea party wave. But it was that movement that gave him constant problems. He clashed with the right over the debt limit, government funding, Obamacare and taxes. But his tenure will also be remembered for his complicated relationship with President Barack Obama. He and Obama tried — but repeatedly failed — to cut a deal on a sweeping fiscal agreement.
But Boehner has had some significant victories, including the trade deal that Congress passed this year, and changes to entitlement programs.
Now that he doesn't have internal political considerations to weigh, Boehner is certain to push through a government-funding bill next week that funds Planned Parenthood and keeps the government open.
Conservatives roar as Rubio tells a crowd of Boehner's demise
“I have been doing this for 27 years, and this is the most selfless act that I have ever seen,” said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) who is close with both Boehner and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), a former member of leadership who has clashed with Boehner, also called the Ohio Republican’s move “one of the selfless acts I’ve seen in politics.”
“In the two years I served at the leadership table both my respect and affection grew for John Boehner," Hensarling said.
Conservatives – many of them members of the House Freedom Caucus – said they’re already preparing for the vote to replace Boehner.
“He has a long record of distinguished service but it's time for new leadership,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.). “Conservatives will be working together, it's not going to be one or two of us, we're going to make a deal.”
Boehner's decision, relayed in a closed Republican meeting Friday morning, will indeed set off one of the most intense leadership scrambles in modern Congressional GOP politics. Second in line is McCarthy, who is widely expected to serve as the next speaker. But there is serious unrest in the House Republican ranks, as a small clutch of conservatives have continuously clashed with establishment Republicans. It takes 218 votes on the House floor to win the speakership, and many GOP insiders believe that McCarthy is the only person who could cobble together a coalition to win.
Should McCarthy win, it will set off an intense battle for majority leader. Boehner allies appear to be rallying around McCarthy for speaker already, providing him a hefty base for the internal House Republican Conference election, and a speaker vote on the House floor.
One man is already taking himself out of the contest. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said he will not run for any position.
“That is a good job for an empty nester,” Ryan said. “This was an act of pure selflessness”
The posturing within GOP ranks has been going on for weeks. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) has been laying the groundwork for that battle, as has House Republican
Conference Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.). Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) will be favored for House Republican whip.
There are wildcards, however. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), who has recently gained favor with the conservative right, is expected to eye a slot.
Boehner is one in a long line of speakers who have struggled with unrest in their own ranks, perhaps most notably dating back to Jim Wright, a Texas Democrat ousted in 1989 who lamented the “mindless cannibalism” of his colleagues. In the aftermath of Wright's resignation, hyper-partisanship seemed to take hold, leading to heightened gridlock in Congress that many subsequent speakers have fought to break loose.
As for Boehner, there will be time for his close-knit team of aides to toast his speakership. He is holding a barbecue Sunday in Washington for current and former staff.
Conservatives celebrated the news. Heritage Action quickly issued a statement celebrating Boehner’s resignation. “Americans deserve a Congress that fights for opportunity for all and favoritism to none,” CEO Michael Needham said in a statement. “Too often, Speaker Boehner has stood in the way.”
In another sign of the triumphant feeling among conservatives, the crowd at the Values Voter Summit broke into cheers when Sen. Marco Rubio announced that Boehner was stepping down.
At her weekly news conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the resignation "seismic" and "a stark indication of the disarray of the House Republicans.”
Pelosi and Boehner have not yet spoken, Pelosi said. She had called him around 8:30 a.m. earlier Friday to check in on the latest on the government shutdown fight, but was told he was in a meeting and that he would call back. She found out during a weekly Democratic caucus meeting, as phones lit up with the news of the resignation.
Government officials in Amherst County, Virginia can now require employers to fire any ex-con
The County issues business licenses for the privilege of doing business or exercising a trade, profession, occupation, vocation, calling, or activity in the County. The [Amherst County Commissioner of Revenue] may withdraw the privilege of doing business or exercising a trade, profession, occupation, vocation, calling, or activity by revoking a business license if the licensee: a Has been convicted in any court of a felony or of any crime or offense involving moral turpitude under the laws of any state, or of the United States, or knowingly employs in the business conducted under such license, as agent, servant, or employee, any person who has been convicted in any court of a felony or of any crime or offense involving moral turpitude.
Government officials in Amherst County, Virginia can now require employers to fire any ex-con
By Eugene Volokh August 31
From Amherst County (Virginia) ordinance No. 2015-0004 (enacted May 19, 2015):
So if you have a felony conviction, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude — e.g., petty theft or making a false statement — then you could be stripped of your business license, so you can’t go into business for yourself. And if you’re working for someone else, the Commissioner can demand that you be fired; if you’re not fired, that counts as the employer’s “failure to take effective” “remedial action,” and your employer can be stripped of its license.
Thus, if you have any felony (or misdemeanor “moral turpitude”) conviction in Amherst County, your livelihood is at the mercy of the Commissioner of Revenue. True, your
employer could appeal the Commissioner’s decision to the County Board of Supervisors, or possibly to a court (which would then likely apply a rather deferential standard of review, given that the ordinance gives the Commissioner discretion). But that will only help if the employer goes to the expense, trouble, and political risk of going to bat
for you, rather than just taking the easy way out and firing you on the government’s demand.
And this isn’t limited to particular job categories and particular criminal histories (e.g., barring people with child sex abuse records from working in day care centers, barring people with recent DUIs from driving trucks, and so on). If the Commissioner wishes, anyone with the specified kind of conviction could essentially be disqualified from pretty much any job in the County. Better not get on the Commissioner’s bad side, or have your employer get on the Commissioner’s bad side.
Let's read some comments from readers. How do You feel about this? Were You Aware this had been passed? Who sponsored and wrote it? Who's hand is responsible for this?
COMMENTS
Dan Wendlick
9/9/2015 3:05 PM EDT
There wouldn't happen to be someone in the county commissioners office named Javert by any chance?
Bruce Amsbary
9/3/2015 5:13 PM EDT
Great, make felons and cons unemployable! What a great way to keep them from recommitting.
Jimmy Whitehead
9/3/2015 7:25 PM EDT
What will the tight ass rednecks and tea party scum do next? Does Amherst County ever see the sunshine?
Suzanne Riley
9/3/2015 1:01 PM EDT
I thought the purpose of prison terms was for a criminal to pay his 'debt' to society. Upon release in my mind, they paid for their crime. Studies show steady home, steady job and family/community support prevents reoffending by 92%. Why on earth would these fools want to take away a key element of keeping people out of prison and being productive members of society?
Bruce Amsbary
9/3/2015 5:13 PM EDT
The operative word in your comment is "fools."
Mama Chit Chat
9/1/2015 4:40 PM EDT
So basically, the old farts in Amherst, VA have nothing better to do than to legally keep people who have presumably already "paid their debt to society" from earning an honest living? Is it Constitutionally legal to levy a second punishment? Are they in a roundabout way attempting to create more crime in the area?
Ed Grinberg
9/1/2015 1:02 PM EDT
I find this law less objectionable than those that prevent employers from "discriminating" against ex-cons.
entonces_99
9/1/2015 6:02 PM EDT
I find them equally offensive.
PThomasIV
8/31/2015 11:59 PM EDT
In response to what both liberals and libertarians seem to realize is a terrible policy (while perhaps disagreeing as to why), may I suggest a compromise.
This policy should be struck down, not on the overbroad and limitless theory that it violates some substantive "freedom of contract," but on the narrower and (from a social-justice standpoint) pretty unimpeachable grounds that it denies ex-cons the right to work without notice and an opportunity to be heard. (As far as I can tell from reading it, the only party accorded procedural due process by this statute is the business owner, not the ex-con.)
David M. Nieporent
9/1/2015 6:05 AM EDT
So your idea of "compromise" is that libertarians should abandon libertarian arguments and adopt liberal ones that don't address libertarian concerns?
(How exactly would "notice and an opportunity to be heard" mitigate this law? What would the hearing look like? "Are you an ex-con?" "Yes." "Business license denied.")
robgood
9/1/2015 7:54 AM EDT
No, I think PT meant it as in, keep getting continuances forever while continuing to work.
Eric Rasmusen
8/31/2015 9:11 PM EDT
I'd want to know what the ordinance means before I approved or disapproved of it. Suppose someone convicted of five burglaries comes in and says he wants a business license to operate as a plumber, or a locksmith, or an electrician. Should the city not be able to deny him a license? I think most customers would like that--- or at least would like to be informed that they are letting an ex-(?) burglar into their house. On the other hand, if this means that the city officials *must* deny a car repair business license to someone convicted of rape or murder, that's a bad thing, because ex-cons should be working at something legitimate.
PThomasIV
9/1/2015 12:03 AM EDT
See my proposal above, which would require a hearing before a person could be blacklisted from a particular position in this manner. I may be naive, but I would hope that a hearing requirement would help to differentiate your two hypotheticals. Leave to live by no man’s leave, underneath the Law. It’s more like “leave to live by the Commissioner of Revenue’s leave, underneath the Commissioner’s discretion” in Amherst County, so long as you have any conviction for felony, misdemeanor petty theft, misdemeanor false statement, and the like.
Eric Rasmusen
8/31/2015 9:11 PM EDT
I'd want to know what the ordinance means before I approved or disapproved of it. Suppose someone convicted of five burglaries comes in and says he wants a business license to operate as a plumber, or a locksmith, or an electrician. Should the city not be able to deny him a license? I think most customers would like that--- or at least would like to be informed that they are letting an ex-(?) burglar into their house. On the other hand, if this means that the city officials *must* deny a car repair business license to someone convicted of rape or murder, that's a bad thing, because ex-cons should be working at something legitimate.
PThomasIV
9/1/2015 12:03 AM EDT
See my proposal above, which would require a hearing before a person could be blacklisted from a particular position in this manner. I may be naive, but I would hope that a hearing requirement would help to differentiate your two hypotheticals.
David Welker
8/31/2015 8:01 PM EDT [Edited]
Hint to libertarians:
If you want to be more effective in your diatribes against arbitrary government power, THIS is the sort of thing you should be focusing on. Not the supposed horrors of businesses being required to put warning labels on their products.
I would actually be very happy if libertarians got their way on the top 50% of their priorities where they fight to curb ACTUAL abuse of government power. It is the other 50% that I worry about.
TwelveInchPianist
8/31/2015 8:07 PM EDT
Finally some help in the question at the top of every libertarian's mind, "what would Welker do..."
David Welker
8/31/2015 8:12 PM EDT [Edited]
There are more liberals than libertarians... So compared to you, I am in the majority.
By the way, do you actually have any substantive disagreements with my point???
I don't think you can come up with one. Because let's face it, you just aren't that smart.
TwelveInchPianist
8/31/2015 8:29 PM EDT
"By the way, do you actually have any substantive disagreements with my point??? "
Your point that libertarians should focus on things that you think are actual abuses of government power? Yeesh. Talk about not being very smart. Obviously the reason so few people on either side agree with you on much of anything is that nobody is smart enough to reach the conclusions that you reach.
David Welker
8/31/2015 8:59 PM EDT
@TwelveInchPianist
You lose. You did not formulate a coherent statement of disagreement. And I did not think you would be able to either.
Just a bunch of mumbling.
It is pretty obvious that if you want to be effective, you have to prioritize. That libertarians focus so much energy complaining about things that are just not that bad (like government mandated warnings on products) is an example of the failure to do so.
LibertarianToo
9/9/2015 1:12 PM EDT
Sorry, but most (all?) libertarians that I know try to apply logic, reason, liberty and the non-aggression principle to 100% of topics. If we only apply logic to 50% and apply "feel good" to the other 50%, then we would fall into the Dem/Rep category. Granted, being a Dem or a Rep that applies even 50% logic to anything would be a huge improvement! Smile
Moishe Pipik
8/31/2015 7:22 PM EDT
And then when you do comply with the law, you'll get hit with a "disparate impact" lawsuit, and you will not win that case.
Heywood21
8/31/2015 7:16 PM EDT
I have to question whether such an ordinance would be allowed under the 14th amendment to say nothing of the 8th
Nonzenze
9/2/2015 9:55 PM EDT
That was my first thought as well. No one takes Meyer v Nebraska seriously anymore Frown
Without doubt, [the liberty protected by the 14A] denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.
Western Rover
8/31/2015 7:13 PM EDT
Doesn't sound much different from the "sheriff's card" scheme that has been running for decades in the Las Vegas area, not just for the usual fingerprinted jobs like kindergarten teacher or security guard, but for all kinds of other jobs, from landscaper to waitress to HVAC tech. That scheme has been often criticized but never struck down as far as I know.
Kashole
8/31/2015 6:30 PM EDT [Edited]
If only the courts would recognize a Liberty of Contract to allow businesses and employers to live without overbearing government oppression. Seems to me this would be a perfect case to revive the doctrine that the government can't interfere in such relationships without at least intermediate scrutiny.
Heywood21
8/31/2015 7:18 PM EDT
Given that this was the legal theory used to strike down anti-child labor laws and minimum wage laws, I think I will pass
Sarcastro
8/31/2015 7:27 PM EDT
Ain't no way that could possibly screw with ex-cons!
PersonFromPorlock
8/31/2015 3:39 PM EDT
This strikes me as less a law to deal with a real problem than a law to expedite the solicitation of bribes.
Smooth_like a Rhapsody
8/31/2015 2:29 PM EDT
They are merely making sure that Hillary does not decide to move to town.
TwelveInchPianist
8/31/2015 2:09 PM EDT
Seems like the spot where the start to go off the rails is... "the privilege of doing business or exercising a trade, profession, occupation, vocation, calling, or activity in the County."
rawson30
8/31/2015 1:46 PM EDT
A good case for the right-to-work folks to take up if they were actually interested in... the right to work.
TacosGigante
8/31/2015 1:31 PM EDT
This seems like as good a test case as any to breathe some economic liberty back into the Constitution.
Rev. Arthur Kirkland
8/31/2015 1:23 PM EDT [Edited]
Finding authoritarian scolds running the show in the Lynchburg area doesn't surprise me. Most of Virginia (population aside) is old-timey area, closer to West Virginia than to developed areas. After the young and educated depart for better locations, what's left is your Amherst County commissioners/council members/supervisors/selectmen/whatever.
TacosGigante
8/31/2015 1:34 PM EDT
I hate agreeing with the Reverend but dang if he doesn't seem right here (with regard to the Lynchburg area). This screams "morality for thee but not for me" and is devoid of the compassion that Christianity (at its best) excels at in favor of the judgement that Christianity(tm) (at its worst) revels in.
That said, I don't think most of Virginia is this way, even the more rural parts, there is something unique about the Amherst- Lynchburg area.
Michael Masinter
8/31/2015 2:08 PM EDT
West Virginia seceded from Virginia once already. Please don't tar West Virginians (I was born and reared in West Virgninia) with the sins of Virginians.
Rev. Arthur Kirkland
8/31/2015 7:05 PM EDT [Edited]
I was born and reared in West Virgninia
I hope you have overcome your provenance. I would wish West Virginia on no one.
David Welker
8/31/2015 8:02 PM EDT [Edited]
@Rev
Hey! Don't be mean. West Virginia fought on the right side of the Civil War. So there is that.
It isn't all bad.
David M. Nieporent
9/1/2015 6:01 AM EDT
I hope you have overcome your provenance. I would wish West Virginia on no one.
Well, except all the Jews you want to deport there.
Peter1000
8/31/2015 1:15 PM EDT
Gosh, I wonder what an ex-con who's barred from making a living at a honest job will do. Only good things, I guess.
Jeff Walden
9/1/2015 12:23 AM EDT
Getting into politics doesn't require a business license, does it?
Amherst Democratic News
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