Same "stuff", different face, in the Speaker's race.

By Rob Janicki

Paul Ryan would best decline any and all entreaties to become the
Speaker of the House, if he values his future political career, his
personal integrity and his sanity going forward.

The clean cut Paul Ryan from south central Wisconsin would appear to
the White Knight to the rescue of the Republican Party in the House.
This could not be farther from the truth.  Ryan, as bright as he is
and as experienced as he is in budget matters is, in the end, just
another John Boehner without the tan.  He has supported all the issues
and positions of the Republican establishment that conservatives are
diametrically opposed to.

Should Ryan accept the role as Speaker, his problems will begin
immediately as he attempts to repackage Republican establishment
positions to make them somewhat more palatable to conservatives, an
impossibility by any rational standard.  By the end of 2015 House
Republicans will find themselves precisely where they are now, and
have been, under the tenure of John Boehner.  Same "stuff", different
face, same results.

It's being reported that, should Ryan accept the role of Speaker, it
will be done on conditions that any conservative could never, or
should never, agree to.  Trust among House Republicans could not get
much worse than it is today.  Paul Ryan as Speaker would quickly
reinforce that distrust and worsen it, if that is possible.

Perhaps House Republicans could have a series of elimination votes
among their entire membership to winnow down the numbers to those one
or two members that could accept the Speaker's role without
conditions.

As it stands now, the House Republicans are about as anti-democracy in
their selection process as the old Soviet Politburo.  It's all back
room dealings that are going on and, if seen in the light of day,
would turn a principled man weak from all the treachery going on.
But, then again, political principles seem to be quite flexible among
Republicans these days and, like liberals, subject to change as
necessary in light of current political winds.