Meadows Wins, Boehner Resigns
After conservatives everywhere, including Conservative Review, consistently pounded the drum calling on Speaker John Boehner to vacate his chair after his routine commitment to blocking conservative policy and passing Obama’s agenda without little to no resistance, today marks the day that the voices of conservative voters was heard.
It’s often said that one man with conviction constitutes a majority. The low-key yet resolute conservative from the west end of North Carolina has demonstrated this aphorism in spectacular fashion.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) introduced the resolution to fire Boehner on July 28, immediately preceding the congressional recess. At the time, the media and even fellow conservatives ridiculed him for not informing them and better planning the idea. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) had this to say about his fellow conservative: “It took a lot of us by surprise, and I feel like any leadership discussions among Republicans should be with Republicans and not empower Nancy Pelosi to exploit the process.” K Street hack, Ron Bonjean said Meadows was a “lone wolf republican with gripes against leadership.” Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) pouted, “the Speaker’s leadership up to this point has not warranted this action by Mr. Meadows.”
As Conservative Review noted at the time, this was in fact a brilliant strategy. By letting this resolution hang over Boehner’s head during the August recess and have the fight crystalize along with the budget battle in September, Boehner would be boxed in and would lack the votes to survive a motion to vacate the chair.
Now Boehner is announcing that he plans to retire from Congress at the end of October.
This fight really began in January when a group of brave conservatives had the guts to challenge Boehner on the floor. Although they came up short in the inside game, they won the hearts and minds of the people when tens of thousands of calls flooded the capitol switchboard demanding that Boehner be fired. Make no mistake about it, this is a direct reflection of the people and an example of democracy at its best. The members were only spawned to action by the popular sentiment of their constituents. However, it took a specific plan of action – a live legislative vehicle on the table – in order to light the fuse. And that fuse was lit by Meadows.
During the January fight, Conservative Review was the only entity to score the vote for Speaker of the House. We noted that no other conservative priority would see the light of day were Boehner to remain in power and that this would be the most important vote of the session. Ultimately, that vote was won by conservatives, but it took nine months of patience.
Conservatives who are feeling so disheartened and disenfranchised should take solace from the latest developments. When you fight for a cause when it is initially unpopular, it almost always succeeds in the end if the cause is just. The people of Virginia tossed out the establishment Majority leader, Eric Cantor, and now the constituents of all the districts have had a hand in forcing Boehner into retirement. If Mitch McConnell had any semblance of intellectual honesty, he’d follow suit.
In this day of mass communications and the internet, the truth will eventually get out. The people can only be disenfranchised by the oligarchy for so long. During the month of September, as we celebrate the Constitution, that cherished document now had the last say. Those who sought to take the power of the purse away from the people were denied the power to continue ruling. Now it’s time for members to demand a new leader who will respect the awesome power the Founders vested in the House of Representatives. (For more from the author of “Meadows Wins, Boehner Resigns” please click HERE)
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