Boehner stepping down

So while everyone is distracted with the GOP debate and the World Series, the House passed the 2-year funding bill, 266 to 167, with moderate GOPers voting with Democrats to get the bill passed.

The House GOP approved Ryan as Speaker today; the floor vote on him is tomorrow.

That’s Mr Paul D Ryan to you, good sir. And don’t forget it.

Well, that was unexpected. Maybe I’m getting too cynical.

… aaand Ryan is now officially Speaker. No word on what happens to Ways and Means, or when.

And Ryan is now completely in Boehner’s shoes:

Paul Ryan is finding out what life is really like as the Speaker of the dysfunctional Republican House. Rep. Ryan needs the poison pill riders or faces the real possibility of losing almost all of his Republican support. In the best case scenario, Speaker Ryan will need dozens of Democratic votes to pass the funding bill, and Democrats will not support anything containing riders that are nothing more than a Republican policy wish list.

Just like John Boehner, Ryan is going to have to cave. Speaker Ryan has to drop the poison pill riders in the funding bill or his first major act as speaker will be a government shutdown.

Deja Vu all over again

If you google Paul Ryan right now, the first two headlines that come up are “House Conservatives Plot Coup Against Speaker Paul Ryan” and “5 Points on the Nightmare Paul Ryan Faces Even If The GOP Keeps The House.” Which is not ideal if you’re Paul Ryan. Google John Boehner, however, and you’ll find this:

John Boehner, driving an RV, wearing shorts, and living (someone’s version of) the American dream.

Good for him!

Yep, Boehner has come out of this looking like the smartest guy in Washington. He completed the final thing he wanted to do, which was host the Pope’s visit, and then got the hell out while also using his departure to get a few last minute concessions from his own party’s idiot wing.

Recall, Ryan didn’t even really WANT this job, because he knew Congress has declined into a state of perpetual failure at this point.

(Reads back over thread, sees my old post about Ways and Means, heads to Google.)

TIL that Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, was chosen to succeed Ryan as Ways and Means Chairmen in November of '15.

It surely means something that the second-most powerful House member has gotten almost no press attention since he got the job … but I dunno what it means, since he’s gotten almost no press attention since he got the job …

Now that he’s retired, why hold back?

Fascinating Politico article and interviews with and about Boehner and chums. Best revelation: an Alaskan rep shoved B against a House wall and held a knife to his throat. Plenty of backslapping and trying to put the best face on history.

This is some fascinating stuff.

That was really good. Thanks for the link!

Wow, he is way more interesting out of office.

From the article:

If my wife ever caught me hanging wire hangers on the countertop with the points like that, she’d lose her mind.

I have the same shirt pattern as two pictured there. I’m changing where I shop.