As Predicted, House GOP Takes the Northeast Hostage

Remember what I said about the House refusing to vote for a single dime of relief for Hurricane Sandy? Well, here's one instance in which I hate to be right:

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio indicated late Tuesday the 112th Congress would end its term without voting on federal emergency aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

"The speaker is committed to getting this bill passed this month," Boehner's spokesman, Brendan Buck, said in an email.

Buck also emailed a news article reporting that Craig Fugate, head of the the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said his agency will not need additional money until spring.

FEMA money will not cover everything needed by states hit by Sandy. Other needs include claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program, repairs to mass transit and Community Development Block grants needed to help localities rebuild.

Lawmakers from Northeast states had hoped the House would vote Wednesday on the $60.4 billion aid package that passed the Senate on Friday.

Again, as predicted, the Lunatic Caucus has decided we're all a bunch of moochers and we don't deserve any relief. Notice, also, that GOP members of congress from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida actually supported this bill, as they know full well theirs could be the next state in line for storm relief.

And you know you've jumped the shark when the uber-right-wing Peter King calls you a bunch of idiots:

"It's absolutely disgraceful," King said on CNN. "People in my party, they wonder why they're becoming a minority party. They're writing off New York, they're writing off New Jersey. Well, they've written me off, and they're gonna have a hard time getting my vote, I can tell you that."

King said that Republicans have no problem finding New York when they want to raise money. In light of Tuesday's inaction, King said, anyone from New York or New Jersey who contributes to the National Republican Congressional Committee should have their "head examined."

The Tea Party people are lunatics and nihilists. They want only to destroy. They cannot lead. They cannot govern. They hate government. Well, what the hell are you doing running for public office if you hate government?

And we're beginning to see some serious dissent when it comes to Boehner holding on to the speaker's gavel. But who would replace him? Cantor? Ryan? Maybe they could run Michele Bachmann for speaker? Wouldn't that be fun?

Or, and this is a stretch, I realize, is it possible to peel off 17-20 votes from the saner members of the House GOP to vote for a compromise speaker, say someone like Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer? Or, and here's another stretch, could the House GOP elect someone who isn't a member of Congress? It's a pretty wild idea, I realize, but, believe it or not, one does not need to be a member of congress to be elected speaker. It's never happened before, of course. But that's not to say it never could.

All I know is, Boehner is in deep trouble. The new congress convenes on Thursday of this week. Expect a three-ring circus.