The obsession of the House Freedom Caucus

[tsai3904]

The obsession of the House Freedom Caucus

Rep. Justin Amash insists the group that pushed John Boehner to the exits isn't just a bunch of bomb throwers. They want real reform in how the House works.

By Jake Sherman
10/15/15

Most elected representatives host town halls in their districts to speak with constituents about solving the nation’s ills — slimming the bloated federal budget, say, or lifting up the poor and the middle class.

Rep. Justin Amash, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus who helped plunge the House of Representatives into an unprecedented state of chaos, wants to talk about rules.

The House rules. How he believes John Boehner didn't follow them, and how the chamber’s next leader needs to. Amash and his crew want a robust committee process. They would like more amendments and no more end runs to fast-track legislation to the House floor. If the next leader does those things, he or she might not have to constantly worry about the Freedom Caucus. Return to “regular order,” and the Republican Conference just might be able to return to normal.

“The problem isn’t that he isn’t conservative enough,” Amash told about 40 people here during a town hall meeting Wednesday evening, referring to John Boehner, who announced his resignation amid growing pressure from Amash’s group. “The problem is he doesn’t follow the process. He operated a top-down system, and still operates a top-down system because he hasn’t stepped down yet. Which means that he figures out what outcome he wants, and he goes to the individual members and attempts to compel and coerce us to vote for that outcome.”

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More:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/1...blicans-214819

[nobody's_hero]

Man that comment section sucks. One commenter even suggested 'they change the name of House Freedom Caucus to something less 'Orwellian'.' Wow. If that guy only knew anything about George Orwell.

Everyone is saying that basically a minority of the House (the 40 members of the House freedom caucus) wants to control everything else.

I don't really know how to respond to that. It's kind of true. The House Freedom Caucus isn't strong enough itself to change things, but it is just large enough to gum up the works. I can't blame them at all for using the only tool at their disposal.

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat. A republic is an armed- House Freedom Caucus protesting the vote"??