A Three Party House

[DonViejo]

“On paper, the GOP currently has 245 members, but when 50 feel they can walk away from their leadership on any given day, it’s really a plurality, not a majority,” Politico notes.

“The House, then, is not controlled by one party but better understood as a playing field for at least three: the party on the right, the dominant Republican core in the center, and the left represented by the Democrats. The challenge is to build alliances among these three to get to the 218 votes needed to move legislation. This coalition approach may seem a blow to Republican pride but it could also be liberating for John Boehner since it brings him back to the role he often forgets: Speaker of the House.”

###

http://politicalwire.com/2015/03/04/a-three-party-house/

[CincyDem]

1. The problem John has is...

...that if he decides to actually govern from a coalition perspective, i.e. building legislation with 218 in mind, he'll have no more than 2 years at the job. The whack jobs from his district (the ones who kept major national movie theaters from screen Milk and Brokeback Mountain because they "violated local standards&quot ...yeah, those wackjobs will send him packing at the speed of light.

Frank Underwood, Kevin Spacey's character in the Netflix series House of Cards playing the House Whip, said "the only number that counts is 218". I think he stole that idea from Justice William Brennan who said "the most important number to a justice is five" in reference to building the necessary coalition for a winning argument.

If John really wanted to govern - he would have 218 tattooed on his forehead (in reverse) so every morning he'd see it in the mirror and realize that's the only thing that counts.

Of course, we would never hear about that on the news because there would be so many stories about pigs flying and hell freezing over.

:: sigh ::

[Wounded Bear]

2. Yeah, he'd have to permanently suspend the Hastert rule...

which would be good for the country. Therefore, it will never happen. Look at the shit flying when he did it once for what many considered to be critical spending.

He couldn't lead a latrine detail.

[CincyDem]

3. Maybe

He could probably get 123 "centrist" republicans to agree with him. That's his majority of the majority.

Still - you're completely correct in your assessment on John's latrine leadership ability.

I just shake my head at times. I meet people, usually related to Ms. CincyDem's work, who live up in his district. They seem normal until his name comes up and they're so supportive. In other circumstance I would be screaming WTF WTF WTF. But...keeping peace in the house is a high priority for me. Taking on my boss' co-workers in a top of the lungs left wing rant...not the best idea for my future happiness.

[QuestionAlways]

4. Big Problem for us

the party on the right, the dominant Republican core in the center, and the left represented by the Democrats.

The Republican Party is not he center

[UCmeNdc]

5. The Democratic Party is the center

With a few on the left.....

messaging is what the Republicans control.

[QuestionAlways]

6. You hit the nail on the head