Tears of joy: Boehner re-imposes term limits for GOP chairmanships

NMA World's animation stills (above and below) from "GOP vows to repeal Obamacare" feature Speaker-designate John Boehner's signature tendency to tear up.

"Just as fresh blood is reinvigorating the House GOP rank and file, there will be new energy in the leadership, too," writes Byron York, lifting the spirits of Tea Partiers everywhere:

Even though Republicans were out of power for just four years, the old GOP committee chairmen haven't come back to reclaim their old spots; nearly all the lawmakers who are taking over committees have never held the chairman's gavel before.

It's a consequence of a decision Republicans made back in 1995, just after taking over the House for the first time in 40 years. For years prior to that, then-Rep. Newt Gingrich and his GOP colleagues watched as the oldest of Democratic old bulls turned House committees into personal fiefdoms. Lawmakers like Reps. Dan Rostenkowski, John Dingell, Jack Brooks and Jamie Whitten each led key committees for more than a decade.

"The Republican answer, included in the Contract With America, was to support term limits for all members of Congress. But that would have required amending the Constitution, and they didn't have the support," notes York:

So House leaders did something that was within their authority: They put a six-year limit on the tenures of committee chairmen.

"Boehner's re-imposition of chairmanship term limits is just one more way the GOP is trying to tell the American people that the party has learned its lesson":

And that is one more result of the GOP's remarkable victory on Nov. 2. 

From Matt Lewis's column a coupla weeks back: "When asked about Rep. John Boehner's penchant for weeping, Palin said: 'I don't know if a woman would be given a pass necessarily … I respect John Boehner because he has worn his feelings on his sleeve on things that are so important to him … and I give him that pass, too.'" It's totally endearing to us, the opposite of Bubba's camera-ready crocodile tears at Ron Brown's funeral. 

As our readers know, Boehner will livestream opening day of the new Congress on Facebook at noon today. Pull out your hankies and enjoy! Meanwhile, in other news to set the tea partier's heart aflutter, this from the Wall Street Journal:

House Republicans are pledging to cut spending, and one early sign they're serious is the rules package they are bringing to the House floor tomorrow. More than the last time it held power, the GOP is changing the rules to make it harder to tax and spend.

Update: Larwyn's Linx links.

Crossposted at Riehl World View and Liberty Pundits.

Comments

[goomp]

As has been said, "power corrupts". Term limits is one way to help distrbute power. Power over government belongs with the people and not with individual politicians.

[Gayle Miller]

There is a great deal more accountability already evident and that's a good thing. If it continues to be evident, it will be a great thing. The longer la Pelosi is out of power and seen for the shrewish incompetent she is, the better off we will be.

[Gayle Miller]

The more that screeching harridan can be pushed into the background, the happier I will be. She is the most unserious, inept, incompetent, silly darned fool female to ever grace the halls of congress. A pox on all her houses.

[Polatlı]

Good post. I like to read your posts. well written. thank you.

[Gayle Miller]

There is a strong rumor going around that Zippy the Slick has his legal team working overtime trying to find a way for him to glom onto the Medicare Trust Fund monies for his Obamacare funding in case the new Congress refuses to fund the agencies tasked with administering the law. The only comfort I take is that if they are as competent as Zippy and Michelle at the practice of law, Medicare's funds are safe! But we need to be vigilant. There's still no end of mischief he can do.