by Matt Gauntt
Republican leadership in the last few years has at times been disappointing, to say the least. So, when they do a good job, they need to be praised.
It is a VERY slow work day today, so I had some time to watch C-SPAN and the debate on the Cap & Trade bill. As background, the Dems are so worried about this that they are rushing the stupid thing through faster than a fat man going after a beer brat. They don't want anyone to read it. It is so bad that Ace of Spades HQ is reporting that the Dems have pulled good old Patrick Kennedy out of rehab to vote for it. I wonder if he and Uncle Teddy will have time for a scotch afterwards. Bottom line is that the Dems are furiously trying to get the vote in today before everyone leaves for recess. They don't want those pesky voters out there asking too many questions back home.
So back to C-SPAN. In order to delay the vote, John Boehner is using parliamentary procedures to essentially filibuster. About 20 minutes into his remarks, a clearly frustrated Henry Waxman asked, "I know we give leadership more time, but how much time does the Minority Leader have, Madame Speaker? (a substitute Speaker, not Nancy Pelosi)." "House tradition is that the leader may finish his remarks". An even more agitated Henry Waxman asked "So is there a limit here, because is appears that the gentlemen is trying to keep on speaking in an effort to see if members will leave before a close vote. Is there ANY time limit Madame Speaker?" (After consulting with the parliamentarian) "The gentleman is allowed to finish his remarks". (translation: sorry, I wish I could get this Republican to shut up too, but there is nothing I can do about it).
John Boehner: "The Chairman (Henry Waxman) has had 30 years to draft this bill, and it is shameful that we only have 5 hours to vote on a bill that will so drastically and fundamentally change our energy policy and economy."
John Boehner: "Let's look at page 32" (reads paragraph, then comments)
John Boehner: "OK now, lets look at page 33" (reads paragraph, then comments)
etc., etc., etc.
Finally a Republican that used the Democrat's strategy against them and had the bare knuckle fortitude to stand against a really bad bill. Reading paragraph after paragraph, Rep. Boehner was able to extemporaneously just rip the bill to shreds. Listening to about 45 minutes of it, it is just astounding how much control over daily activities this bill would grant the Federal Government. This is a centralized planners favorite dream. I was laughing out loud thinking about how frustrated Henry Waxman and Nancy Pelosi were getting.
Rep. Boehner - nice job!! Hopefully it pays off.
