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| Boehner re-elected House speaker in spite of Republican dissent | Boehner re-elected House speaker in spite of Republican dissent |
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| John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, survived a re-election vote when the new Congress met for the first time Thursday, in spite of deep ideological divisions within his own Republican party that have left him badly wounded. | John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, survived a re-election vote when the new Congress met for the first time Thursday, in spite of deep ideological divisions within his own Republican party that have left him badly wounded. |
| In contrast with 2010 when he won the unanimous support of his own party, a small group in the GOP registered their unhappiness with him. He has lost a lot of support over his handling of the fiscal cliff negotiations, and other issues. | In contrast with 2010 when he won the unanimous support of his own party, a small group in the GOP registered their unhappiness with him. He has lost a lot of support over his handling of the fiscal cliff negotiations, and other issues. |
| Although on the surface his majority looks comfortable, Boehner won mainly because warring Republicans could not come up with alternative candidates to unite behind. Only Boehner and the Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi were on the ballot. | Although on the surface his majority looks comfortable, Boehner won mainly because warring Republicans could not come up with alternative candidates to unite behind. Only Boehner and the Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi were on the ballot. |
| He won 220 votes, just three more than needed to prevent an embarrassing second ballot, to Pelosi's 192. Nine Republicans voted against Boehner. | He won 220 votes, just three more than needed to prevent an embarrassing second ballot, to Pelosi's 192. Nine Republicans voted against Boehner. |
| Ironically, he was saved by some of the members of Congress that have made life awkward for him over the past few years, in particular Tea Party favourite Michele Bachmann. | Ironically, he was saved by some of the members of Congress that have made life awkward for him over the past few years, in particular Tea Party favourite Michele Bachmann. |
| Boehner, before being sworn in, signalled renewed battles with the White House over spending. "Our government has built up too much debt. Our economy is not producing enough jobs. And these are not separate problems. At $16tn, our national debt is draining free enterprise and weakening the ship of state. The American dream is in peril," he said. | Boehner, before being sworn in, signalled renewed battles with the White House over spending. "Our government has built up too much debt. Our economy is not producing enough jobs. And these are not separate problems. At $16tn, our national debt is draining free enterprise and weakening the ship of state. The American dream is in peril," he said. |
| Boehner, an emotional man who has cried several times in public, almost broke down again during his short speech. His only reference to the bruising battles he has had with the White House and his own party came when he said the voters had not sent members to Congress to make a name for themselves but to act. "We are standing here not to be something but to do something or, as I like to call it, doing the right thing." | Boehner, an emotional man who has cried several times in public, almost broke down again during his short speech. His only reference to the bruising battles he has had with the White House and his own party came when he said the voters had not sent members to Congress to make a name for themselves but to act. "We are standing here not to be something but to do something or, as I like to call it, doing the right thing." |
| The new Congress sworn in at noon on Thursday is more diverse by race, gender and sexual preference, and includes a Hindu, a Buddhist, and two female combat veterans. For the first time, white men are in a minority, at least among House Democrats. | The new Congress sworn in at noon on Thursday is more diverse by race, gender and sexual preference, and includes a Hindu, a Buddhist, and two female combat veterans. For the first time, white men are in a minority, at least among House Democrats. |
| But, crucially, the political make-up is largely unchanged. There are a few more Democrats and fewer Tea Party-backed Republicans, but essentially the balance remains the same, with the Democrats in control of the Senate and warring Republicans with a majority in the House. | But, crucially, the political make-up is largely unchanged. There are a few more Democrats and fewer Tea Party-backed Republicans, but essentially the balance remains the same, with the Democrats in control of the Senate and warring Republicans with a majority in the House. |
| The Congress looks on course to be as unproductive as the last one, paralysed by civil war being fought inside the Republican caucus in the House, between the Tea Party-backed members and more moderate and pragmatic ones. | The Congress looks on course to be as unproductive as the last one, paralysed by civil war being fought inside the Republican caucus in the House, between the Tea Party-backed members and more moderate and pragmatic ones. |
| Barack Obama has a set out an ambitious second-term programme that includes immigration reform and gun control, but that could be jeopardised by looming battles over spending cuts and the debt ceiling, and the unwillingness of Republicans to work with the president. | Barack Obama has a set out an ambitious second-term programme that includes immigration reform and gun control, but that could be jeopardised by looming battles over spending cuts and the debt ceiling, and the unwillingness of Republicans to work with the president. |
| The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, put Obama on notice in speech from the floor of the Senate Thursday. "In a couple of months, the president will ask us to raise the nation's debt limit. We cannot agree to increase that borrowing limit without agreeing to reforms that lower the avalanche of spending that's created this debt in the first place," McConnell said. | The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, put Obama on notice in speech from the floor of the Senate Thursday. "In a couple of months, the president will ask us to raise the nation's debt limit. We cannot agree to increase that borrowing limit without agreeing to reforms that lower the avalanche of spending that's created this debt in the first place," McConnell said. |
| The standoff between Congress and the White House, and the feuding between Republican members of Congress, mirrors the wider conflict that the November election defeat failed to resolve: whether the Republicans shift even more to the right or pivot towards the centre. | The standoff between Congress and the White House, and the feuding between Republican members of Congress, mirrors the wider conflict that the November election defeat failed to resolve: whether the Republicans shift even more to the right or pivot towards the centre. |
| Boehner, an old-fashioned, country-club Republican who looks to work out deals with his Democratic counterparts, has struggled over the last two years to keep the two factions together. | Boehner, an old-fashioned, country-club Republican who looks to work out deals with his Democratic counterparts, has struggled over the last two years to keep the two factions together. |
| He was humiliated by his own members before Christmas when he could not persuade them to back his own fiscal cliff plan. He was exposed again this week when a fiscal cliff deal was finally voted on, with only 85 Republicans voting for, including Boehner himself, and 152 against. | He was humiliated by his own members before Christmas when he could not persuade them to back his own fiscal cliff plan. He was exposed again this week when a fiscal cliff deal was finally voted on, with only 85 Republicans voting for, including Boehner himself, and 152 against. |
| As well as alienating Tea Party-backed Republicans opposed to the deal, Boehner managed in the same week to alienate more moderate and pragmatic Republicans from the north-east by failing to schedule a vote on aid for towns damaged by Hurricane Sandy, opposed by some Republicans for containing unnecessary spending projects. In the ensuing outcry, Boehner hastily backed down and has scheduled a vote for Friday. | As well as alienating Tea Party-backed Republicans opposed to the deal, Boehner managed in the same week to alienate more moderate and pragmatic Republicans from the north-east by failing to schedule a vote on aid for towns damaged by Hurricane Sandy, opposed by some Republicans for containing unnecessary spending projects. In the ensuing outcry, Boehner hastily backed down and has scheduled a vote for Friday. |
| One of the moderate Republicans, Steve LaTourette, interviewed by CNN, blamed the pattern of crisis after crisis in Congress – which made it one of the most unproductive sessions in recent US history – on the Tea Party conservatives unhappy with the failure to rein in spending and cut the federal debt. | One of the moderate Republicans, Steve LaTourette, interviewed by CNN, blamed the pattern of crisis after crisis in Congress – which made it one of the most unproductive sessions in recent US history – on the Tea Party conservatives unhappy with the failure to rein in spending and cut the federal debt. |
| "So as a result, they have laid obstacles in front of the speaker for the last two years," LaTourette said. | "So as a result, they have laid obstacles in front of the speaker for the last two years," LaTourette said. |
| The divisions in the Republican party are unlikely to be resolved until at least the next congressional elections, the mid-terms in 2014. Democrats will urge voters to end the Washington deadlock to give them a majority in both the Senate and House. | The divisions in the Republican party are unlikely to be resolved until at least the next congressional elections, the mid-terms in 2014. Democrats will urge voters to end the Washington deadlock to give them a majority in both the Senate and House. |
| Voters could resolve it, too, by turfing out the Tea Party-backed members, as they did in November when they opted not to re-elect congressman Allen West, a Tea Party favourite who denounced Obama as a Marxist ideologue. Or they might opt to punish moderate Republicans, as representatives of the Tea Party movement threatened to on Thursday. | Voters could resolve it, too, by turfing out the Tea Party-backed members, as they did in November when they opted not to re-elect congressman Allen West, a Tea Party favourite who denounced Obama as a Marxist ideologue. Or they might opt to punish moderate Republicans, as representatives of the Tea Party movement threatened to on Thursday. |
| Amy Kremer, the leader of Tea Party Express, expressed outrage over the fiscal cliff deal, said on Twitter: "There will be consequences." | Amy Kremer, the leader of Tea Party Express, expressed outrage over the fiscal cliff deal, said on Twitter: "There will be consequences." |
| One of the biggest fears of moderate Republicans is finding themselves facing primary battles in their districts or states, up against Tea Party-backed candidates. | One of the biggest fears of moderate Republicans is finding themselves facing primary battles in their districts or states, up against Tea Party-backed candidates. |
| If the civil war is not resolved in 2014, the battle then moves onto the 2016 presidential nomination, beginning with the Iowa caucus. That fight is already under way. | If the civil war is not resolved in 2014, the battle then moves onto the 2016 presidential nomination, beginning with the Iowa caucus. That fight is already under way. |
| The present favourite is Marco Rubio, the senator from Florida with the Cuban background, who might help the party win back some of the Latino vote from the Democrats. He is also a Tea Party favourite, and could be the figure that brings the warring factions together. | The present favourite is Marco Rubio, the senator from Florida with the Cuban background, who might help the party win back some of the Latino vote from the Democrats. He is also a Tea Party favourite, and could be the figure that brings the warring factions together. |
| Rubio was one of the few Republican senators to vote against the fiscal cliff deal, leaving him able to claim ideological purity and retain Tea Party support. | Rubio was one of the few Republican senators to vote against the fiscal cliff deal, leaving him able to claim ideological purity and retain Tea Party support. |
| On the other side of the spectrum is New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who spent most of a 40-minute press conference on Wednesday denouncing Boehner and Republicans in the House for failing to support aid for his state's devastated communities. He criticised the intrigue that has engulfed the House Republicans as one of the reasons why the public have come to hate Congress. | On the other side of the spectrum is New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who spent most of a 40-minute press conference on Wednesday denouncing Boehner and Republicans in the House for failing to support aid for his state's devastated communities. He criticised the intrigue that has engulfed the House Republicans as one of the reasons why the public have come to hate Congress. |
| Christie is often mentioned as a potential runner for 2016. Conservatives then face a dilemma, balancing Christie's popularity against his liberal views, including ambiguous positions on issues such as gun control. | Christie is often mentioned as a potential runner for 2016. Conservatives then face a dilemma, balancing Christie's popularity against his liberal views, including ambiguous positions on issues such as gun control. |
| Boehner cannot even rely on his own lieutenants, the House majority leader Eric Cantor and the House whip Kevin McCarthy, both of whom voted against the fiscal cliff deal. Cantor is a another potential runner in 2016, but he will have lost the support of some of his colleagues, having encouraged them to vote for the deal and then voted against himself. | Boehner cannot even rely on his own lieutenants, the House majority leader Eric Cantor and the House whip Kevin McCarthy, both of whom voted against the fiscal cliff deal. Cantor is a another potential runner in 2016, but he will have lost the support of some of his colleagues, having encouraged them to vote for the deal and then voted against himself. |
| Romney's vice-presidential running-mate Paul Ryan could also be among the runners in 2016. Generally regarded as a fiscal conservative, he surprised his colleagues by voting for the deal. | Romney's vice-presidential running-mate Paul Ryan could also be among the runners in 2016. Generally regarded as a fiscal conservative, he surprised his colleagues by voting for the deal. |
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