Boehner-Cantor rivalry affecting debt talks

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

A long-simmering rivalry between the top two Republicans in the House has tumbled into the open, with far-reaching implications for deficit-reduction negotiations with the White House.

Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) are at odds over President Obama's call for a massive deficit-reduction package to address fiscal problems and provide for an increase in the country's $14.3-trillion borrowing limit before an Aug. 2 deadline.

* * *

"I don't think Boehner would want to serve in a foxhole anytime with Eric Cantor," said a Republican strategist and former leadership aide who asked not to be identified while commenting on an intraparty rivalry.

* * *

"Boehner is facing a similar problem to that Gingrich faced in 1995-1996 — he can't control the rebels in the caucus who helped him gain power," said Princeton University professor Julian Zelizer, referring to then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich. "The debt ceiling has turned into as much of a test for the GOP and its internal leadership as it is for which party is stronger."



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cantor-boehner-20110712,0,2176610.story

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More evidence that the so-called leadership and unity of the Republicans is actually a sign of dysfunction and an inability to govern. Perhaps the Democrats should just stay home and prepare for a default while the Republicans compete in trying to amass power and throw each other under the bus.

[tomhayes]

1. They both win "Biggest Asshole"

Can't they be happy for each other?

[Dawson Leery]

2. Nancy passed 400 bills that were blocked by the GOP in the Senate.

The GOP cannot pass much of anything.

Boehner and Company cannot lead anything.

[gateley]

3. Cat fight!

Read that Boehner was kind of dressed down by his peeps after he said he'd "give" on a few items. Had to do an about-face. A glaring difference between him and Pelosi -- she LED the caucus, he just kind of ambles along and spews the talking points.

I hate him, but I hate Cantor with a passion of a thousand fires.

[tsuki]

5. Cantor's a traitor in my book. When you bet your country will fail, and

then, you sabotage the talks to make money, you're a traitor. Thank God, he hasn't got a penis to show on twitter or he'd be in trouble.

[gateley]

17. I achingly hope he gets investigated for this "investment" -

Do you know if it's been mentioned in any news or on MSNBC or on Keith, etc?

[flamingdem]

6. Cantor is a horrifying human being

yeeeeech.

[cliffordu]

10. Right there with you. They are both Putzes.

[gateley]

18. OT --

How's the elbow? All better?

[cliffordu]

22. NOt really - swollen still and sore -

I have a full range of motion and can lift with no problem, but pushing anything away with that arm is painful.

We're talking about surgery now.................

Dammit.

How areya??

[gateley]

25. Wow - almost sorry I asked! How long has it been -- have

you been living with this pain? I may be fabricating this in my tiny brain, but as I fuzzily recall, wasn't there snow on the ground or something when this occurred? Do you have drugs -- and do they help?

Is surgery guaranteed to work? Well, not guaranteed, but good prospects?

I'm okay, thanks for asking, but I won't rub it in. :7

This has cured me of any crazy desires I had to break my elbow.

[cliffordu]

26. It's more of an annoyance than anything - it prevents me from

using my left arm for any real exercise that requires pushing anything away from my body - like when you ride a bicycle or try to do pushups....

or anything, mostly.

I can expect good results with surgery, but it will be MONTHS before I can ride again.

There was NO reason for falling and breaking it. I was looking at my iphone for email while walking across the street and missed stepping up on a curb and fell down with the full weight of my body on to the elbow. It hurt like nothing I have ever experienced.

(I have a condition that includes serious, serious pain at times but can usually manage without much sniveling or medication. I took narcotics for this for a week. Fuck me, it hurt. Like roll on the floor and cry hurt).

My own fault.

The good news is that my orthopedist is one of the most beautiful women I have EVER seen. I mean EVER. The last time she drew fluid off of it I might have peed a little from the pain, but I have to admit, it was pleasurable in a sick and demented perverse kind of way....her smiling and cradling my arm against her body and running this massive fucking needle into the joint just seemed......perfect.

Maybe she can draw fluid off of it next week........

[Lugnut]

23. +100

I couldn't have said it better.

[msongs]

4. they've got Obama preaching the republican agenda, why are they fighting? nt

[ClarkUSA]

8. Really? I had no idea Republicans wanted to raise revenue from tax hikes, too!

:sarcasm:

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TomCADem]

13. Blame Democrats, Give Republicans A Free Pass!

The corporate media narrative continues to be wide spread, with the false equivalency masquerading as journalism. If you blame Republicans, then you also have to blame Democrats in order to be fair and balanced.

[DesertFlower]

7. the little twit with shoe polish in his hair

wants orange man's job.

[cliffordu]

12. Well...

:rofl:

[DesertFlower]

24. glad you liked my comment.

:hi:

[No Elephants]

27. LOL! And black + orange = Hallowe'en colors. All trick, no treat, in this case.

[Thor_MN]

9. Cantor resembles a kid that was bullied in school.

He has the nervous tics and glances around the room of someone who has had their ass kicked several times for saying the wrong things. In any case, he a mean little shit trying to take revenge for some perceived slight.

I am not a violent person, but when I see him, for some reason, I feel an irrational urge to slap the back of his head. Not that I would ever do it, but that angry little weasel creeps me out.

[cliffordu]

14. He does, really.

My girlfriend wants to slap the shit out of him.

If she runs into him when she's half in the bag, he'd better watch his smarmy little ass.

Actually, I might take her drinking in DC just for shits and giggles.

maybe get her a new tattoo....

[Marie Marie]

16. Agreed. Cantor is a mean twit who is definetly slapworthy

[tularetom]

15. Boner is a yokel but Cantor is a sneaky little shit

I'm certain that a little snooping into Cantor's background would reveal a number of things he'd rather keep quiet.

It's a shame nobody on the Democratic side is willing to venture into that fruitful territory.

[gateley]

19. I was surprised (and delighted!) to hear there's no loved lost

between these two. I thought Cantor was Boehner's lap dog, always standing behind him at press ops nodding and smiling enthusiastically.

Unless/until the division becomes glaringly public, many of their constituents won't be aware. Too many don't follow politics and won't be reading/watching the same things we are.

[roberto IS beto]

20. some history

I sense there is trouble brewing in the Republican leadership in the House. When Eric Cantor “has your back”, you are going to get fragged.

Remember those thrilling days of yesteryear (2006) when Spawn of Satan (Tom Delay) was forced out of office due to corruption? There was a leadership fight. Dennis “White Fang” Hastert’s cream had already risen to the top by virtue of the fact that he had been too impotent to have sex with either Monica Lewinsky OR Henry Hyde.

The problem being, who was going to be Majority Leader, and who was going to be Whip? Missouri’s Roy Blount was the interim Leader, but John Boehner brought his "A game", and pushed Blount aside (to a lucrative career later as a lobbyist). Miss Congeniality was John Shadegg of Arizona, and Cantor claimed that the only thing he had ever wanted in his entire life (other than for his wife to get in line for gazillions in bank bailouts should the economy ever crash) was to be a Whip.

Boehner won a brief stint as Majority Leader (becoming Minority Leader that November -- thank God), and Blount became Whip. When the Republicans lost the House in November of 2006, Shadegg rose from the ashes, and challenged Blount for the Whip position, getting whipped in the process. Shadegg and Blount both wanted Cantor to guard Blount’s back by being Deputy Dawg, I mean Deputy Whip.

Blount was as crooked as they come, and, naturally, he was a “social conservative” Republican -- in favor of screwing families and Christians. Boehner and Shadegg were more along the lines of “fiscal conservative” Republicans -- in favor of unlimited government spending that helps them and their corporate masters. Jumping ahead to 2008, Blount retired after Cantor announced he wanted to be Whip.

Jumping ahead to 2010, Shadegg, who represented Arizona’s Turdly Third (rich suburbs of Phoenix) announced that the time had come for him to cash in on his lobbying needs. It seems to me that Cantor is helping undermine Boehner, and setting Boehner up to fail. Cantor will stab anyone in the back in order to advance his career.

[classysassy]

21. Who bought Cantor his house seat?

Seven years ago he was unheard of,now he is the number two man in the republican house,something fish is going on folks.

[No Elephants]

28. The weepy yam hardly has a chance against Cuthroat Cantor.

Remember when the smarmy turd claimed his office had been shot at? A fake, to make it seem that Republicans were getting attacked violently, not only Democrats.

Wasn't even his office. And no one shot at it intentionally. He should have been charged with making a false report.

[KamaAina]

29. So Cantor, who stands to profit from a default, is holding up any deal

Quelle surprise. Why is this not on the M$M 24/7? Oh, right. :eyes: Well, maybe Keith can get on it now that he's back.

[Doctor_J]

30. Lies.

they are together in their goal to obliterate Obama and, with him, the country