Republicans take control of the House
The results of the mid-term election became a reality for Democrats yesterday as Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, and more than 90 new members were seated.
John Boehner (R-OH) defeated Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in the election for Speaker. In fact, 19 members of her own caucus voted for someone else (11 voted for Heath Shuler), voted present or did not vote at all; the most members of a caucus to vote against their party’s nominee since 1923.
The power exchange wasn’t limited to the Congress, as the transition also took place on Twitter. The Daily Caller notes:
Late Tuesday evening, hours before the Wednesday kick-off of the 112th Congress, Rep. Pelosi dutifully ceded the use of @SpeakerPelosi in exchange for @NancyPelosi. Meanwhile, @JohnBoehner remains to be actively used by the entering Speaker (he also used @GOPLeader, but that account has been handed over to Majority Leader-elect Eric Cantor), while @SpeakerBoehner became the Ohio congressman’s active account Wednesday morning.
Outgoing-Speaker Pelosi gave her last speech to the House in that role, and transitioned power over to Boehner (the handing over the gavel is in the last 45 seconds, in case you want to skip forward):
Here are Boehner’s remarks after taking the gavel:
While Nancy Pelosi’s time as Speaker is marked by disapproval from Americans, they are already expressing skepticism in this new Congress and its ability to make promised spending cuts - and with good reason, as the GOP is already backing down on promises made in the Pledge to America. These aren’t problems that will be solved by continuing to slam Pelosi.
Republicans still claim that they will make substantial cuts to spending. Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) explained to me in a podcast I did for Peach Pundit that among the new rules passed by the House is a plan to “CUTGO,” playing off the seldomly used PAYGO rules Democrats passed.
Among their first targets is cutting back office expenses by 5% - a reduction in spending of just over $35 million. That’s a far cry from making a significant impact, but I guess they have to start somewhere.
If anything, the changing of the guard in the House brought the focus back on the Constitution and a discussion of the proper role of government in the lives of Americans. It’s a talk we need to have as a nation, but Republicans have to stick to their guns to make it happen; and they’re going to need the tea party and liberty movements to ensure that happens.