Despite the howls of the left and the purity vultures on the right, Mr. Ryan will likely be nominated as Speaker of the House. Which is a very good thing for the GOP and was one of the goals the tea party set. From ABC News,
Rep. Paul Ryan was chosen today by his House Republican colleagues as their nominee for the next Speaker of the House, a position he is expected to secure Thursday after a full House vote.
“This begins a new day in the House of Representatives,” Ryan said after the conference vote.
The Wisconsin rep, who reluctantly plunged into the race, said he believes “the country is on the wrong track” and that House Republicans have an obligation “to give this country a better way forward.”
The better way forward is what the Tea Party backed candidates ran to create in 2010 and 2012. So many of us wanted change in a better direction, we wanted an informed electorate and wanted our candidates or at least someone we would be able to live with in office, right? In 2015 there is a chance to get it right and the party gets it. In a caucus vote, 200 out of 245 GOP votes went to Rep Ryan. The total votes needed is 218 in the full house. This means moderate and conservative Representatives voted for Paul Ryan. Almost unheard of due to internal feuding. Rep Ryan pledged to do another thing the Tea Party wanted so very badly.
The Wisconsin Republican has united most of the conference — including Republican stalwarts — around his pledge to run the House more openly and inclusively than outgoing Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Speaker Ryan is a huge step forward and in my opinion deserves a chance to succeed or fail. To recap, there is inclusion, a significantly more conservative Speaker who actually will do the job. The one thing that is howled about is Amnesty. Guys lets be realistic. Immigration reform is necessary. This is a nation of immigrants and controlling the flow effectively and safely is what we need to do. If admitting that makes Paul Ryan or someone like me a RINO, then you may want to revisit the term cupcake. A better alternative is being offered. Let’s see where that goes. It is our best option at this time.
UPDATE: The magic number was 218. This morning, with a majority vote of 236 from the 435-member chamber, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin was elected the 54th Speaker of the House of Representatives. You can watch his speech and read the transcript, here.
Marybeth Glenn says: Gail, you read my mind 🙂 I guess I’m a RINO, as well!
Gail Boer says: That is a first for me but I would rather we got out of gridlock and internal battles and actually fixed the mess we are in. Good grief!
Kate says: RINO’s Unite! 😉
OC says: Ladies I have to respectfully disagree. While Gail, you are correct about immigration reform, Ryan is for AMNESTY – not the same thing. There were 40 some republicans that DIDN’T vote for Ryan – isn’t that about the size of the House Freedom Caucus. While I will cede the point to see how he does, I lament the fact that we could have done so much better.
Jodi Giddings says: I tend to agree with you, OC. Ryan has promised not to address the immigration issue under this POTUS. That said: Boehner made, and broke, many promises he made to our reps. So I will watch Ryan like a hawk, as we all should, and hold his feet to the fire. I’m willing to give him a chance. Though I’m not thrilled he’s voting for yet another blank check to Obama, who will abuse it accordingly.
Gail Boer says: Under this president who will veto all attempts to go against his desires his actions make sense. There are a lot of battles to fight now. Note he did not say anything about after Obama is out of office.
Jodi says: I think that’s a cop out. Why not take a page from Gingrich’s book, and keep sending the bills until he signs them. Make HIM look like the jackass he is.
OC says: Bingo !!!
The term is FIGHT !
Gail Boer says: 2016. unless or until there is a strong GOP candidate (or really anyone worth the vote) this is called suicide. How many seats will be lost in house and senate, how likely will we be to elect someone other than hillary or sanders?
Gail Boer says: what is the point with a lame duck president who has been shown to be a mean spirited vindictive little man time and time again? Again he speaks for the house not for his district in his role. Long term thinking not short term gains. And there is something called picking ones battles. 🙂
OC nails it. Ryan is why Mo Brooks sent him a letter where he promised, like a weasel, to not push any amnesty as long as Obama is in office. http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/10/mo_brooks_freedom_caucus_strik.html
Also, Ryan sold us out on the budget and he’s not been in the speakership one day!
You might be hopeful, but given these two facts, I’m not.
Gail Boer says: The problem is this: he just became speaker. Just got the office and he was not really going for that position until rather recently. Looking for actions as speaker of the house before making a judgement on his performance in that position is a reasonable request.
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