Speaker Tom Price? (Almost) certainly not
House Speaker Tom Price, R-Ga.?
Heaven help us, and the Republican Party, should that come to pass. Such a development would produce a mess that would make Congress of the last two years seem like a smoothly functioning machine by comparison.
Yet according to Robert Costa, writing in National Review:
“Should a debt deal go sour, the buzz is that Tom Price, a 58-year-old physician from Georgia, may challenge John Boehner for the speaker’s gavel.
“Price is the person we’re all watching,” says an aide close to House leadership. “We know he’s frustrated, but we don’t know much else.”
Would Price really make a bid to unseat Boehner? And if so, could he win? (In response to the Costa piece, Price’s spokesperson now says the congressman “is not running for speaker,” which is interesting for a couple of reasons. One is its use of present tense rather than future tense; i.e. “is not running” vs. “will not run.” Nobody suggested that he “is” running. And in an interview with Costa earlier, Price himself had apparently refused to confirm or deny a possible challenge. That would have been the time to stop the rumor dead, had he wanted to do so.)
As I noted in my previous post, former Speaker Newt Gingrich estimates that a budget deal will require 120-140 Democratic votes to pass the House. In other words, Gingrich believes that more than half the Republicans will buck their leadership and refuse to vote for a final deal, which strikes me as a pretty accurate assessment.
The question is, will that be enough? Will conservative congressional Republicans be satisfied by casting personal votes of “no” against tax hikes, even as the hikes themselves go on to become law with the help of GOP leadership? Or, driven by an apoplectic right-wing blogosphere and a media-entertainment industry that thrives on conflict, will they whip themselves into such a frenzy that they demand the head of the man who cut the deal? In this kind of environment, talk of a challenge to Boehner was inevitable, if for no other reason than to keep the speaker on a short leash.
It also makes sense that the talk would center around Price, a conservative who represents the same congressional district once represented by Gingrich. Last month, Price was defeated in his bid for a House leadership post, losing narrowly to a more moderate candidate tacitly backed by Boehner. But he remains ambitious, and is also eying a potential primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in 2014.
Even if Price lost a challenge to Boehner, the effort itself would establish his conservative credentials to a larger audience and increase his stature for a run against Chambliss. In fact, with the impending departure of Jim DeMint from the Senate, challenging and losing to Boehner over an issue of principle might make Price the leading congressional champion of the Tea Party wing of the GOP. If conservative anger at Boehner gets strong enough, it’s hard to see a downside for Price trying to unseat him.
And if Price won? It would be almost suicidal for the Republicans. Throwing Boehner overboard would cement the party’s reputation as radical and uncompromising. The base might like that fine; the mainstream voter would not. In addition, Price is a pretty grim and confrontational personality, the sort that would not wear well in the public spotlight. If Boehner’s grip on power were seriously endangered, you would probably see Price nudged aside in favor of someone like Paul Ryan.
So yes, a challenge to Boehner by Price is feasible, depending on circumstances. A successful challenge by Price is much less feasible. And a challenge to Chambliss is the most feasible of all. Because clearly, this is a congressman who sees himself going places.
– Jay Bookman
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534 comments Add your comment
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:18 pm
Let me tell ya’ll a little something.
I’m sure Bro knows all about these sheninigans (sp).
One time, in band camp, they forced me to sit butt nekkid on a 50lb block of ice for about 30 minutes.
Once me bum became numb, they stood me up and place a large olive in the middle of what was left of the ice block.
I was then told I must pick up the olive with me butt cheeks, carry it across the room; and drop it into a coffee cup.
If you missed the coffee cup, you ate the olive…
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
frog
Not underestimating her. I’m just trying to figure out when she ever was a presidential candiate.
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
betty
I haven’t heard of that one before. I have done push ups with a drum strapped to my back before though. I don’t know which one is worse, push ups with about 50lbs on your back or frozen butt cheeks.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
My girlfriend’s hairdresser’s husband has an uncle that used to work with a guy that knew someone who went to band camp.
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:28 pm
Bro, I guess it depends if you hit the coffee cup or not.
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:29 pm
Kam, you were probably the band director.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 10th, 2012
10:31 pm
Band director?
Nope.
I did attempt the french horn once, though.
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:34 pm
Kamchak
I had more than my fair shares of band camp. The saving grace was that my schools didn’t bus us out to some camp in the middle of nowhere. That still didn’t alleviate the shenanigans though.
————————–
betty
I don’t even think I want to try that one. I’ve witnessed many different things, but I don’t think I could have even come up with that one.
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:41 pm
Kam, did you play it at the Holiday Inn Express lounge for happy hour?
This bad ass song just popped up.
Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IukWaNygxJY
Old skool KIZZ
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:41 pm
Guess I’ll call it a night, but I’ll leave one for Scout and any other conservatives who are cheering on the right-to-work battle in Michigan. If, at any time beyond today, you complain about people freeloading, I will refer to you as Hypocritimus Maximus from that point on.
1) Right-to-work laws tend to weaken labor unions. This is one thing the left and right agree on. If unions are barred from requiring everyone in a workplace to pay dues, there’s a free-rider problem. Why bother sending money to my union if I’ll benefit from its bargaining regardless? Pretty soon, unions are drained of funds and can’t launch as many organizing drives or wield influence.
Anybody who’s whining about people freeloading, aka the 47%, and then cheering for people freeloading off the backs of unions and their negotiators are hypocrites of the highest order. Why won’t conservatives stick to their anti-freeloading ideals and make those who don’t join the union work for whatever wages the employer offers instead of allowing them to enjoy union benefits without paying for them? Put your actions where your rhetoric flows from for once.
Y’all have a good evening…
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:42 pm
Bro,
It takes mental and physical toughness.
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:42 pm
linkee from above… didn’t code it right.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/10/how-right-to-work-laws-could-reshape-michigans-economy/?tid=pm_business_pop
Brosephus™
December 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
betty
And then some…. I tip my hat to you on that one.
getalife
December 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
moonbat,
Sounds like a scene from American Pie….
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
10:55 pm
getalife, it’s a true story.
getalife
December 10th, 2012
10:59 pm
moonbat,
How many olives did you eat?
moonbat betty
December 10th, 2012
11:05 pm
That’s funny, getalife.
I knew you would ask.
Me, None.
I made sure my olive went into the cup, so I was good.
The sad thing was if you missed, you sat with all the other losers that missed until it was over.
At that point, the losers had to sit in a circle and spin a beer bottle.
Whoever the beer bottle pointed to had to eat ALL the olives. It was disgusting!
getalife
December 10th, 2012
11:06 pm
moonbat,
Ew,
Rabbit
December 10th, 2012
11:06 pm
Price as speaker? Two ways that can go: either somebody offers him a job at NPR to resign or he becomes the Martin Sheen character I the Stephen King thriller “Dead Zone”
Oscar
December 11th, 2012
12:44 am
Rabbit – Or he could be irrelavent. Most the way JB is now. He can’t deliver the GOP votes.
guy
December 11th, 2012
2:20 am
getalife, obama is your president.
Medicaid Expansion: States Must Meet Obamacare Standards To Get Full Federal Funding
December 11th, 2012
5:58 am
States must expand Medicaid all the way if they want to receive full Obamacare funding, federal officials said Monday.
The health care reform law enacted in 2010 calls for Medicaid to be offered to anyone who earns up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $14,856 this year. Under the law, the federal government would pay the full cost of enrolling newly eligible people from 2014 to 2016, after which the share would gradually shrink until it reached 90 percent starting in 2022.
States have been slow to embrace this aspect of Obamacare, despite the unprecedented level of federal financing for Medicaid. Texas, South Dakota, and seven other states have said they won’t expand Medicaid. Officials in Indiana, New Mexico, Wisconsin and other states questioned whether they could offer benefits to fewer people by extending eligibility to some level of income below 133 percent of poverty.
After months of waiting for an answer about partially expanding Medicaid under health care reform, states received a simple reply from the Obama administration Monday: no. States that partially expand will not receive the enhanced funding that would come with a full expansion.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/medicaid-expansion-obamacare_n_2272151.html
I was wrong (gasp!) Your president IS creating jobs??
December 11th, 2012
6:27 am
You may have noticed some economic difficulties across the country in recent years among family, friends, neighbors, colleagues. One sector is doing quite nicely, however, under Barack Hussein Obama.
In the 1,420 days since he took the oath of office, the federal government has daily hired on average 101 new employees. Every day. Seven days a week. All 202 weeks. That makes 143,000 more federal workers than when Obama talked forever on that cold day in January of 2009.
Under Obama the total federal workforce has surpassed two million for the first time since the first Clinton term, now sitting about the 2.2 ,million level.
Read More At IBD: http://news.investors.com/politics-andrew-malcolm/121012-636426-americans-figure-out-public-employees-have-it-better-than-private-workers.htm#ixzz2Ek3CJx45
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
December 11th, 2012
7:15 am
I was wrong – yes. you ARE wrong.
did you bother reading the article that your IBD article linked to???
here’s a hint: IT WAS DATED 2010.
hrmmm … what was going on in 2010 …
could it be … oh, I dunno … THE CENSUS???
yes, dearheart – taking the time to do a little critical thinking will save you from looking like a complete twit.
GT
December 11th, 2012
7:22 am
You know before Gingrich we had McDonald being shot from the skies as our congressman in that similar district. JB Stoner offered himself for several offices before McDonald. Cobb County is like toxic waste where the liability to the country never ends.
Price is one of the fools that hold Georgia back in a long line of fools. They all work with the same material because things never get better and the blame is always the other side, yet the other side does quiet well. It is us that are uneducated, in poverty and jobless. I keep thinking Cobb County will grow itself out of this mental illness but I been thinking that for decades and it only gets worse. What is the approval rating of Congress? Hell some of the Democrats may try voting for Price it will be a bullet to the head of the Republican hold on the Congress if not the party itself, please elect him.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
December 11th, 2012
7:24 am
“You know before Gingrich we had McDonald being shot from the skies as our congressman in that similar district. JB Stoner offered himself for several offices before McDonald. Cobb County is like toxic waste where the liability to the country never ends. ”
gah. Larry McDonald. He spoke to my school when I was a kid – even though I was a young’un, I knew that guy just wasn’t right in the head.
julia
December 11th, 2012
7:29 am
paddle faster, i hear banjos.
stands for decibels
December 11th, 2012
7:33 am
mornin’.
Just to tie up a few loose ends, since I’d started a sub-thread last night, in case any of those folks are milling around…
–
Kam @ 9.04, for starters I agree (and have argued previously) that I tend to believe Hillary won’t run for President. Circumstances can change but if I were here, I’d be more than happy to go out on an up note and retire at, you know, typical retirement age.
As for Elizabeth Warren being a candidate, obviously time will tell but in late 2012 it seems like it would be mighty risky for the DNC to roll the dice and hope that another first-term Senator could rise to the occasion. I mean, *I’m* fine with that level of elected-official experience, but that wouldn’t be the way I’d bet, is all.
–
Pelosi is a typical limousine librul.
That’s why folks don’t care for her particularly.
That term you use is a pretty broad (heh… get it? she’s an unapologetically brassy broad!) one. I don’t know how someone gets to be Speaker without amassing some personal success in the meantime. I don’t think anyone especially cared if Tip or Dennis had made a few shekels on the way. And if her success is supposed to be hypocritical because she’s this “flaming liberal,” again I ask–what positions has she staked, what legislation has she sponsored, that puts her in some kinda far-left category?
I’m not trying to be obtuse here, it’s similar to my inquiries about Jay’s ideology. I just don’t see it as being superduper progressive. (In Jay’s case, I’m not thrilled with how quick he was to throw labor under the bus back when the 110th Congress was trying to beef up worker’s rights–and he’s barely covered the evisceration of unions since the 2010 mid-terms.)
Similarly, I just don’t see/know of anything that Nancy Pelosi has spearheaded as Speaker that can be considered all that far-left. I mean, a public option as part of the PPACA? That all you got?
–
I love it how people cheer on the race to the bottom as though it’s some way of saving this country.
Bros, it’s a decades-old issue; a lot of Americans have been sold on the idea that it’s somehow smart to vote against their own interests. I think that is eroding–I don’t think the “free stuff” meme has any traction at all, nationally, and I think it’s already hurt the GOP–but it’s still painful, for example, to watch these late-hits-after-the-whistle’s-blown being inflicted in Michigan.
GT
December 11th, 2012
7:34 am
They are all whack jobs, the few that aren’t came out of Fulton County so they could find a white enough district to run in. Nothing worse than a redneck with money who is a little smarter than the smaller fish and knows how to play them to get what he wants.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
December 11th, 2012
7:35 am
“again I ask–what positions has she staked, what legislation has she sponsored, that puts her in some kinda far-left category?”
meh. she’s a democratic woman – you know that means we’re all out burning our bras and emasculating men. it’s how we roll.
stands for decibels
December 11th, 2012
7:42 am
you know that means we’re all out burning our bras
Well, I know that’s 90% of the complaint from the right, Fear Of Teh Vajayjay, but I would hope they’d at least have something for the other 10%.
(Besides the tiresome misquote of her inartfully expressed business about needing to pass legislation so that Americans could comprehend its utility; that’s not “left-wing,” any legislator from any part of the ideological spectrum could have said the same words.)
By the way, speaking of burnt bras, I heard where that expression actually came from awhile back. I’d always imagined women waving around gasoline-soaked torpedo-bras and flinging them at Archie Bunker types in the early 70s (wouldn’t that have been cool?)–but in fact, well…
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94240375
As a small group of feminists prepared to launch their emerging women’s liberation movement onto the national stage by protesting the 1968 Miss America pageant, they had no idea that the media was about to give them a new moniker: “bra burners.”
In reality, no bras were actually burned on the boardwalk in front of the Atlantic City convention hall that hosted the Miss America pageant, says Carol Hanisch, one of the organizers of the protest.
“We had intended to burn it, but the police department, since we were on the boardwalk, wouldn’t let us do the burning,” says Hanisch. A New York Post story on the protest included a reference to bra burning as a way to link the movement to war protesters burning draft cards.
Women threw bras, mops, girdles, pots and pans, and Playboy magazines — items they called “instruments of female torture” — into a big garbage can.
“The media picked up on the bra part,” Hanisch says. “I often say that if they had called us ‘girdle burners,’ every woman in America would have run to join us.”
So, now y’all know.
stands for decibels
December 11th, 2012
7:49 am
the federal government has daily hired on average 101 new employees. Every day.
How stupid do you have to be to be alarmed by a factoid like that?
Seriously, this ranks up there with our “Morality ?” getting a boner over the prospect of Obama “failing” to reduce the accumulated debt by “one penny”, that’s prompted Jay (and others, including yours truly) to face-palm.
stands for decibels
December 11th, 2012
7:49 am
awshoot… dead threaded by half-century scandal SHEETZ.
Rabbit
December 11th, 2012
9:16 am
“…keep thinking Cobb County will grow itself out of this mental illness”
Ever notice how the most powerful congressMEN come from district with a military base or major defense contractor. Makes you wonder how much control the contractors have over elections. For Cobb, the solution might be to convince Washington to turn over Dobbins and let the state make it a second airport. There would be maybe 12 gates with major city destinations.