House Speaker John Boehner’s decision to fall on his
sword was at once surprising yet also wholly understandable to most of his
fellow Republicans.

Boehner’s impending departure received a celebratory
response from the tea party types who have worn him down and it sparked outrage
among rank-and-file Republicans who decry the ongoing GOP infighting.

Dennis Lennox, a GOP activist and freelance writer, explains in a column for The Detroit News, concludes that the Ohio Republican “had
put down past insurrections from right-wing
backbenchers, but the public vote of no confidence from presidential
candidates was just too much this time around.”
Two of those White House wannabes, it should be noted, are ranked among the
three most conservative members of a Senate Republican caucus that is now
devoid of moderates. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike
Lee of Utah stand at the rightward fringe of the GOP caucus.

The Cruz caucus that led the budding anti-Boehner
insurrection in the House adheres to the freshman senator’s penchant for the big
splash, and a bumper sticker mentality toward winning over hearts and minds.
Too often, the true goal is merely to pander to the “staunch conservative” base
that represents only about 15 percent of the overall electorate.

These GOP renegades took a stand on defunding Planned
Parenthood, ignoring a Republican compromise which would directly attack the
problem of fetal tissue sales and instead pushed for a government shutdown.  

By reflexively making Planned Parenthood a rallying cry, Lennox writes
that these hardcore conservatives again have hamstrung congressional
Republican leaders by refusing to accept the realities of legislating in the 114th
Congress:

“They don’t care that Democrats control the White House
and
parliamentary procedure makes it all but impossible for the Senate’s
majority Republicans to pass major pieces of the GOP manifesto. Nor do
they care that a majority in the upper house is at stake in next year’s
election — putting some of the party’s senators from so-called blue or
purple states in a difficult position for re-election.

“They want congressional Republicans, particularly those in leadership, to toe the party line on matters of principle.

“For them, if there was ever an issue to fight it was the dignity of
all made in the image of God. The problem is too many on the right
lack the discipline to avoid making it about abortion which, let’s
face it, is a settled matter until the composition of the Supreme
Court changes.”

 

 

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