# What if the Democrats cut a deal with Boehner on the Speakership? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 30, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023 "2013-09-30T18:36:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/1 "2013-09-30T18:36:03Z")
Apparently John Boehner is in a bit of a box because part of his caucus won’t allow him to reach deals, or move legislation, without attaching elements that advance their own agenda. It seems to be the case that Boehner doesn’t like this, but that if does he agree to move legislation which passes with the support of Democrats, his speakership is in danger. What if Pelosi offered the support of Democrats in keeping the Speaker post in the event of a revolt by part of his caucus? Boehner looks “bipartisan” and gains the adulation of pundits, presumably burnishes his credentials further for a highly-paid lobbying job after Congress, the House starts passing laws again. Pretty far-fetched, I know, but…stranger things have happened? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/2 "2013-09-30T18:42:00Z")
Intriguing idea. On one hand, I have enough contempt for the Orange One that I wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire. On the other hand, I feel sorry for him having to be constantly forced to sing I’m A Whack-a-doodle Dandy for his half-witted caucus. I think it’s far more likely that Boehner will be told to step down when the clean CR is brought up for a vote, which it must within a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/3 "2013-09-30T18:50:14Z")
Yes, my thought is premised on two things–one, that Boehner would like to keep power, and two, that the Democrats know whoever replaces Boehner either will be in the same box, or will be a member of the Tea Party caucus, and that given that Boehner is potentially someone they can work with. They can bill it as the “Unity Speakership” or something and get David Brooks et al. creaming in their jeans. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/4 "2013-09-30T18:53:45Z")
Not sure how Boehner talks to Democrats in private, but his public persona seems to be combative. I’m guessing that he has burned too many bridges with Democrats to make such a move unlikely. Of course, Democrats could well figure it’s better to deal with the devil you know. Would Cantor be any more accomodating? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/5 "2013-09-30T19:03:52Z")
I dunno, this seems as likely to me as Pelosi talking the moderate republicans into supporting her for the speakership, so both sides can ignore the tea party. Boehner is already being called a RINO, working with the Dems would kill his image among his party. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/6 "2013-09-30T19:22:58Z")
Boehner would be primaried (could be there are already plans for that) and out of his seat altogether in the next election if he cut some kind of deal with Pelosi. I’d guess he’d rather be a non-Speaker congressman than unemployed altogether. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/7 "2013-09-30T19:26:08Z")
I do think this is what has to and will happen, except that Boehner is probably no longer trusted enough by the Dems to keep the job himself (which is partly why he hasn’t gone over and done it yet). ISTM the Speakership is open to any one of the adult minority of the GOP willing to lead 17+ colleagues to form a Coalition Of The Sane with the Dems, but they can’t also be expected to vote for a Dem Speaker. The Speakership is the obvious price they’d have to ask. So, who would it be? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/8 "2013-09-30T19:38:55Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Pretty far-fetched, I know, but…stranger things have happened? Not in Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/9 "2013-09-30T20:20:09Z")
I thought the [rumor-buzz](http://townhall.com/tipsheet/danieldoherty/2013/09/05/report-speaker-boehner-to-retire-in-2014-n1692198) was that Boehner isn’t going to seek the Speaker position next term anyway but likely retire from Congress. So not much of an incentive from the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/10 "2013-09-30T20:24:40Z")
But Boehner can be forced out earlier than next term. That’s his incentive to do a deal. Understand, I don’t think this is really likely. Just interesting speculation. More likely is that he moves the debt ceiling bill, then Cantor ousts him (or something like that). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/11 "2013-09-30T20:26:18Z")
What’s in it for Democrats? If they can peel away enough Republicans to form a majority, they’ll elect a Democrat speaker. It’s not like they vote for Boehner and he suddenly becomes a Democrat, and if he did, so what? Except that can’t happen, any Republican who sold out his party to vote with the Democrats would be finished. If Boehner can’t get the Republican caucus to elect him speaker, then he’s finished, and the Republicans will elect someone else speaker. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/12 "2013-09-30T20:35:56Z")
What’s in it for the Democrats would be getting past the shutdown and debt ceiling, perhaps with a debt ceiling punt until after 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Conservian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Conservian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conservian)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/13 "2013-09-30T20:37:56Z")
Boehner a hard case for Democrats? ROFTLMAO!!! I would give almost anything to see a Democan like Boehner replaced by a genuine tea-party conservative as SOTH. Then the Democrats would really come to understand the meaning of the word OPPOSITION, rather than the same ole Kabuki Theatre Boehner & Democrats engage in. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/14 "2013-09-30T21:07:42Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > I dunno, this seems as likely to me as Pelosi talking the moderate republicans into supporting her for the speakership, so both sides can ignore the tea party. Yes, that would be ridic- . . . waitaminnit . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/15 "2013-09-30T21:08:49Z")
> [@Conservian](#): > > Boehner a hard case for Democrats? ROFTLMAO!!! > I would give almost anything to see a Democan like Boehner replaced by a genuine tea-party conservative as SOTH. Then the Democrats would really come to understand the meaning of the word OPPOSITION, rather than the same ole Kabuki Theatre Boehner & Democrats engage in. :rolleyes: We’re on the verge of a government shutdown caused entirely by House Pub intransigence and you don’t think the House GOP is an OPPOSITION?! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/16 "2013-09-30T22:08:27Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I thought the [rumor-buzz](http://townhall.com/tipsheet/danieldoherty/2013/09/05/report-speaker-boehner-to-retire-in-2014-n1692198) was that Boehner isn’t going to seek the Speaker position next term anyway but likely retire from Congress. So not much of an incentive from the Democrats. At least he has a good post-political career ahead in [insert your own joke related to the fruit and/or the color orange, and/or to artificial tanning methods and/or products, here]. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/17 "2013-09-30T22:27:33Z")
How about we just drop the name Tea Party and call them what they are - anarchists. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/18 "2013-09-30T22:42:32Z")
Without passing judgement on Boehner or the Tea Party one way or the other, I didn’t intend for this thread to be a discussion of their merits. Another possibility I had forgotten about is a “non-partisan” Speaker–the Speaker doesn’t have to be a sitting representative. The Dems and some Reps could come together to elect, say, Bud Selig as Speaker, and he could then bring bills to the floor that could be passed by a D/R coalition. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/19 "2013-09-30T22:44:56Z")
But all that means is that a caucus of Republicans defect to the democrats, enough to give the democrats a majority. If they were going to join the democrats, why don’t they join the democrats? They will be finished in the Republican party anyway, so might as well go whole hog. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023/20 "2013-09-30T22:52:49Z")
That’s true, unless they think the only way to save the Republican Party from the Tea Party is with the help of the Democrats. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-democrats-cut-a-deal-with-boehner-on-the-speakership/670023.md?page=2)