Once again, congratulations on being elected Speaker in 2011 and 2013. Also, congratulations on successful gerrymandering, which basically means you are stuck with the Tea Party for the foreseeable future. I mean there is nothing better than knowing that the same members nipping at your heels will not be worried about Progressive opponents in November. And forget primaries, these guys knocked off establishment GOP guys in 2010 and 2012.
Anyway, about the budget. What a mess, huh? You know, when I worked on the Hill, Reagan slammed a Continuing Resolution on the podium during the State of the Union in 1988 and said he wouldn't sign another one.
Well your problem is worse than that. I know you and the rest of your Party (by Party, I mean the Republican Party not the Tea party) have to be pissed. You cow-towed to your hard right wing members and the Tea Party on what 43 individual votes to repeal Obamacare which cost taxpayers more than a million dollars a vote. You financed part of the US Supreme Court fight over Obamacare which made led to it being ruled constitutional and the law of the land. Talk about putting your money on a loser!
Now, the Tea Party is about to run our country into the ground unless Congress defunds Obamacare. Now that the US Senate, including our Canadian friend Mr. Cruz, voted unanimously to give you and the Republican majority in the House (including Tea party members) the middle finger over that plan.
Now what?
Well, I see in the papers that you are touting delay.
Mr. Speaker, the President went to Columbia and Harvard. He's going to do the calendar math and see that puts him in your reelection in 2014, your GOP caucus members reelection, and the election and reelection of Democratic members. (New Democrats will be elected cause young voters will get insurance for a $100 a month and your majority margin to the extent it exists will be razor thin)
And the defunding is dead, you know that, right?
Whenever I see a problem like this, I ask the same question that you are asking "What would Tip do?"
As you know, Speaker Tip O'Neill was a member of Congress for more than a decade when the class of 1964 was elected. Those guys started tossing "old school" Committee Chairman. Ten years later another class of reformers was in. How did a safe back-bencher rise to the top of Congressional leadership. He knew how to crack the whip, of course.
For starters, your RCCC chair should let Tea Party caucus members know they will not get any election funds. And you should let GOP Chairman Rince Preibus know, that State chairs should be told not to support Tea Party candidates for Congress.
Second, kick them off all of the major committees (Rules, Budget, Appropriations, Way and Means and well as Steering and Policy). You should make it clear you will kick them out of the GOP caucus as well.
Third, you should go to Modell's, Dick's, Sports Authority or wherever you buy sports equipment and get a pair of kneepads and beg Nancy Pelosi for enough votes to prevent a government shutdown.
You know why? Ask Newt Gingrich. He knows. The government shutdown cost him dearly. Eventually, the speakership. By the way, as you no doubt remember ----- it was the "threat to gut Medicare" that fueled anger with the GOP over the government shutdown in 1995. The voter anger, which by the way is the same voter anger that fueled the Tea Party (You need to picture the Tea Party fans with the signs that read "Government hands off my Medicare"), is going to push Congressional approval down to a number that requires the use of decimal points.
Personally, I love watching a slow motion train wreck. There's smoke and fire, confusion and finger-pointing, and general chaos. The engineer always takes the blame though. That's you....
But my Mom is 75. She needs Medicare and Social Security. If she doesn't get those things, who will be mad at the GOP majority in Congress, me (Democrat), my three siblings (Democrats), assorted in-laws (kind of mixed), my three sons (Democrats), My Mom's boss (she works at 75 for a GOP stalwart), boss's wife (GOP), friends from church (very mixed as well). Now the Democrats will blame you anyway, but really, making establishment GOP voters (who think government should be run like a business, pay their bills, pass budgets, etc.) question your decisions and tactics is not a good plan.
Your party lost among congressional voters by more than one million votes. There are 44 Congressional districts where Latino votes will likely sink GOP candidates next year. And Statehouses are likely to be heavily targeted next year. If Ohio, Florida, etc. governorships go Democratic next year, good luck in 2016.
Mr. Speaker, since 1896 one party control of the White House has gone more than two consecutive terms four times. The vox-populi in each case was decidedly against trusting the party out of power. Screwing up a budget sounds like something the vox-populi would not like.
Anyway, good luck with that Budget thing. And buy really thick knee-pads. Its in Nancy's political interest to laugh in your face so you know, more time on your knees begging, pleading, and crying.
Sincerely,
Kevin