Two conservative Republicans booted from House budget panel

[garbon]

http://news.yahoo.com/two-conservative-republicans-booted-house-budget-panel-154212850--business.html

Two of the most conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives have been kicked off the House Budget Committee, a rare move that could make it easier for the panel to advance a deal with Democrats to cut fiscal deficits.

Representatives Tim Huelskamp of Kansas and Justin Amash of Michigan - both favorites of the anti-tax Tea Party movement - are among those Republicans voting most often against House Speaker John Boehner.

Huelskamp and Amash, who both will begin second terms in the House next month, voted against last year's deal to raise the federal debt limit and staunchly oppose any tax increases. Boehner has now included new revenue in his latest offer to avert the "fiscal cliff" of year-end tax hikes and automatic spending cuts. Given their voting records, winning support from Huelskamp and Amash for such a compromise seemed an uphill battle.

Huelskamp released a statement saying the Republican leadership "might think they have silenced conservatives but removing me and others from key committees only confirms our conservative convictions.

"This is clearly a vindictive move and a sure sign that the GOP establishment cannot handle disagreement," he said.

Huelskamp and Amash had said that despite sweeping changes to the Medicare and Medicaid healthcare programs, committee chairman Paul Ryan's budget did not make deep enough cuts to entitlement programs and military spending.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel declined to be specific on the reasons for their ouster by the House Republican Steering Committee, which occurred Monday in a closed-door meeting.

"The Steering Committee makes decisions based on a range of factors," Steel said.

Huelskamp said he was given "limited explanation" for his removal from the Budget Committee, a move he called "vindictive." A spokesman for Amash could not be immediately reached for comment.

Huelskamp and Amash cast the only House Budget Committee votes against Ryan's budget plan earlier this year.

While there is often wrangling over committee chairmanships just before a new Congress takes office, it is rare for rank-and-file committee members to be stripped of their assignments.

The 34-member Republican steering committee is headed by Boehner and includes members of House leadership, committee chairs and other lawmakers representing different regions of the country.

The same group last week recommended that Ryan, the conservative former Republican vice presidential candidate, be renewed as Budget Committee chairman.

This sounds positive.

[CountDeMoney]

Yes, the Speaker is definitely going old school with the Monday Massacre yesterday.   And not just on the Budget Committee.

GOP ousts lawmakers from plum posts

House Republican leaders on Monday ousted lawmakers from plum committee assignments, sending a clear message that they are demanding more unity from rank-and-file members.

The moves appear in line with Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) effort to tighten his grip on his unruly conference. However, the decisions are already sparking outcry from Republican lawmakers and conservatives off Capitol Hill.

Reps. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) lost spots on the House Financial Services Committee, which is widely seen as a fundraising power for its oversight of the deep-pocketed financial sector.

Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) lost spots on the House Budget Committee, according to an aide. The Hill listed Amash earlier this year as one of the House GOP's most frequent defectors.

Huelskamp told The Hill he also lost his seat on the Agriculture Committee following a Monday meeting of the House Republican Steering Committee.

Huelskamp said that the move, which he saw as an effort to stifle conservative voices in the party, augured poorly for the Republican Party's future.

"It's pretty disappointing, and it's a way of relegating the Republican Party to permanent minority status," he said.

"They like to say they're conservative ... but when you go to Washington and you say, 'You know what, that's what we stand for,' they punish those voices," he said.

In particular, Huelskamp cited a video he recently posted to his congressional website urging Republicans to adhere to the Taxpayer Protection Pledge advocated by Grover Norquist and his Americans for Tax Reform, as something that could have upset party leaders.

"It's clearly meant to punish and penalize in a vindictive manner," he added.

A spokeswoman for Schweikert said the lawmaker was ousted for shirking GOP leadership.

"This morning Congressman Schweikert learned there was a price to be paid for voting based on principle. That price was the removal from the House Financial Services Committee," said spokeswoman Rachel Semmel. "We are obviously disappointed that leadership chose to take this course, but Rep. Schweikert remains committed to fighting for the conservative principles that brought him here."

Schweikert won a second term in Congress after defeating fellow freshman Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) in a bruising primary over a newly drawn district.

All four members had had tumultuous relationships with party leaders, bucking the party on votes, and might have rankled their committee leaders.

Jones, for example, sits on the Armed Services Committee, with enough seniority to head a subcommittee panel. But his criticism of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has prevented him from being given a gavel.

"Changes are made for a variety of reasons, most often at the request of committee chairs," said a GOP leadership aide.

Boehner recently shored up his influence on the GOP Steering Committee, where he now has five votes instead of four. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has three, and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has two. All others on the committee have a single vote.

"The Steering Committee makes decisions based on a range of factors," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.

The free-market group Club for Growth jumped to the defense of many of the lawmakers Monday, calling Amash, Huelskamp and Schweikert "defenders of economic freedom" and praising them for bucking party leadership.

"Congressmen Schweikert, Huelskamp and Amash are now free of the last remnants of establishment leverage against them," said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. "The dirty little secret in Congress is that while refusing to kowtow to the wishes of party leaders can sometimes cost you some perks in Washington, the taxpayers back home are grateful."

It is unclear if more Republicans will be removed from other committee posts in the coming days.

[merithyn]

Huelskamp released a statement saying the Republican leadership "might think they have silenced conservatives but removing me and others from key committees only confirms our conservative convictions.

"This is clearly a vindictive move and a sure sign that the GOP establishment cannot handle disagreement," he said.

Is it just me, or does this guy sound like a petulant teenager?

[garbon]

Huelskamp released a statement saying the Republican leadership "might think they have silenced conservatives but removing me and others from key committees only confirms our conservative convictions.

"This is clearly a vindictive move and a sure sign that the GOP establishment cannot handle disagreement," he said.

Is it just me, or does this guy sound like a petulant teenager?

Well I did read that they were told via the media - not from anyone in the Republican party.  Not sure if that's standard but I could see it making a 2nd term congressperson whiny.

[derspiess]

At this rate I think a compromise is inevitible.  And the GOP will get screwwwwwed.

[MadImmortalMan]

Well I did read that they were told via the media - not from anyone in the Republican party.  Not sure if that's standard but I could see it making a 2nd term congressperson whiny.

That's kind of a dick move, if true.

[merithyn]

At this rate I think a compromise is inevitible.  And the GOP will get screwwwwwed.

With some luck, both sides will feel like they got screwed.

[Admiral Yi]

With some luck, both sides will feel like they got screwed.

There are two ways to get screwed in a situation like this.  One is to give up more than your thought you had to in order to achieve a deal.  The other is to give up something in the present in exchange for a promise of action in the future that never materializes.

[merithyn]

With some luck, both sides will feel like they got screwed.

There are two ways to get screwed in a situation like this.  One is to give up more than your thought you had to in order to achieve a deal.  The other is to give up something in the present in exchange for a promise of action in the future that never materializes.

My point is that if both sides feel as though they got screwed it'll be a good compromise.

[Razgovory]

At this rate I think a compromise is inevitible.  And the GOP will get screwwwwwed.

Uh yeah. You got screwed in November.  The GOP put all their eggs in one basket, the "beat Obama" basket.  They could have made a deal two years ago with a much better hand, but risked for chance where they wouldn't have to compromise with anyone.  If the Republicans don't make a deal now, they'll be in an even worse position after the Fiscal Cliff.  At that point the tax cuts are all already gone and Obama can create new tax cuts where he wants them, and the Republicans have little in the way of bargaining power.  They can either vote for tax cuts or they can vote against them.  And you know what?  They have nobody to blame but themselves.  They deserve what they get.

[Razgovory]

With some luck, both sides will feel like they got screwed.

There are two ways to get screwed in a situation like this.  One is to give up more than your thought you had to in order to achieve a deal.  The other is to give up something in the present in exchange for a promise of action in the future that never materializes.

My point is that if both sides feel as though they got screwed it'll be a good compromise.

That's a lousy way to look at it.  Simply because both sides are unhappy with it, doesn't mean it's a good law.

[merithyn]

That's a lousy way to look at it.  Simply because both sides are unhappy with it, doesn't mean it's a good law.

It's usually a pretty damn good indicator when you've got a house divided so badly.

[Maximus]

At this rate I think a compromise is inevitible.  And the GOP will get screwwwwwed.

Why, is compromise against the core tenets of the Republican Party?

[Razgovory]

Why would you think that?  If they make a compromise and it causes a recession I doubt anyone would be happy with that.

[DGuller]

My point is that if both sides feel as though they got screwed it'll be a good compromise.

If they agree on exploding a nuclear device in Washington DC, I'm sure both sides would be unhappy with that compromise.  That wouldn't make it a good compromise for the country.