“Public service was never meant to be an easy living,” Rep. John A. Boehner lamented Thursday, moments after he overcame a Republican insurrection to win re-election as speaker of the House. For Mr. Boehner, it may only get tougher from here. As reported in the New York Times, after a tumultuous two years in which he struggled to maintain a grip on his fractious caucus, Mr. Boehner — who won the unanimous backing of his party when he was first elected speaker in 2011 — suffered the indignity of 12 Republican defections on the opening day of the 113th Congress. Nine cast their ballots for other people; two remained silent rather than vote, and one simply declared, “Present.” This is how Representative Hal Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, described the challenge Mr. Boehner faces. “It’s a little bit like being the head caretaker of the cemetery. There are a lot of people under you, but nobody listens.”
07
Jan 2013
