Boehner Promises to Reform House Rules and Earmarks

One reason we believe the Republicans in the Congress have learned their lesson is the fact many of the ones who were for more spending were defeated or retired from office. Republicans who are left in House are fiscal conservatives who believe in smaller government, less taxes, and pay as you go. They also support a strong national security including border security and are opposed to amnesty for people who are breaking the law by being in this Country.

It is imperative that this runaway spending be brought under control and the Bush Tax cuts extended. Personally we think they should be permanent but unlikely to happen with Obama as President. We also believe that Obamacare needs repealed and to start over with a healthcare plan that makes sense instead of passing a bill as Pelosi put it:



That is no way to run the House. All bills should be read by members of the House and put on line so their constituents know what is being voted on before their member of Congress votes. Never want to hear again that you have to pass a bill to find out what is in the bill. We are finding out what is in the Obamacare bill and it is a disaster. Whoever put this Obamacare bill together needs fired like yesterday.

Republicans need to start the repeal process on Obamacare one part at a time if necessary.  If Obama vetoes it, then don't appropriate any money to fund that portion of the bill.

The House rules and earmarks definitely need reformed. Right now we would have to ask 'What Rules?' since the Democrats saw fit to 'deem' the budget passed with no actual budget in place. If the Rules are standing in their way when the Pelosi Democrats want to pass something, they just ignore the Rules and pass whatever it is in spite of Rules being in place.

Voter turnout is going to be the key on November 2nd. If a person doesn't like the Government takeover of business like AIG, GM, and Chrysler, the stimulus, Cap and Trade, and Obamacare for starters then they need to vote to send the Democrats to the unemployment line and elect 'Common Sense' Conservative Republicans to the House. The 'Young Guns' of the NRCC are the some of the best and brightest new candidates coming from all sectors pledging to go to Washington and make a difference. They are 'Common Sense' conservatives who are fed up with runaway spending and how business is being done in DC.

Boehner Promises to Reform House Rules and Earmarks
By Jackie Kucinich
Roll Call Staff
Sept. 30, 2010, 3:09 p.m.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday said Republicans would alter House rules to restore “order” and reform the earmarking process if the GOP takes the majority in November.

The speech to the American Enterprise Institute is the fourth in a series of major public addresses Boehner has given this year that outline how he would run the House if elected Speaker.

Boehner reiterated several of the government reform planks of the GOP’s new “Pledge to America” agenda and accused Democrats of routinely altering the rules in order to ram through their agenda.

“Leaders overreach because the rules allow them to. Legislators duck their responsibilities because the rules help them to,” he said. “And when the rules don’t suit the majority's purposes, they are just ignored.”

Boehner acknowledged his party had abused the rules in the past, but promised the GOP had seen the error of its ways after their numbers were slashed in consecutive election cycles.

In response to questions, Boehner said that under existing procedures, “there are about five people who determine the outcome of the legislative process” — basically the chairman and ranking member of the committee, and the speaker and staff. “Four hundred and thirty of us stand on the sidelines and watch and we vote — I just think it’s reprehensible,” he said.

Republicans have hammered House Democrats over the past few months for failing to introduce a budget, saying it is a symptom of a larger spending problem within the majority party.

Boehner said Republicans might seek to rewrite the 1974 Budget Act in order to ensure that spending is reduced drastically.

“The ‘pay as you go’ rule has been repeatedly ignored to justify billions of dollars in new spending and tax and fee increases,” he said. “So we ought to start at square one and give serious consideration to revisiting — and perhaps rewriting — the 1974 Budget Act.”

He also proposed implementing a rule that each bill that comes to the House floor contain a clear citation of constitutional authority, taking bills up one at a time in order to avoid large omnibus legislation.

“We should also consider developing a ‘cut as you go’ rule that would apply to any member proposing the creation of new government programs or benefits,” Boehner said.

“Very simply, under this ‘CutGO’ rule, if it is your intention to create a new government program, you must also terminate or reduce spending on an existing government program of equal or greater size — in the very same bill,” Boehner said.

Boehner did not offer any specifics as to how the GOP would reform the process of earmarking, an issue that was only mentioned briefly in the pledge, but promised to “bring fundamental change to the manner in which Washington spends taxpayers' money” if he is elected Speaker of the House.

“I believe it is our obligation to end earmarking as we know it and bring fundamental change to the manner in which Washington spends taxpayers' money, and I will continue to be an advocate for reforms to ensure that happens,” he said.

“Don't assume I'm singling out the appropriators; I'm not,” he added. “Over decades, in my view, authorizing committees in the House and Senate have also abdicated their responsibility, often authorizing billions of dollars, knowing full well they will never actually be appropriated.”

Excerpt: Read Democrat Spin at Roll Call