Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House is one of the highest ranking positions in our government.  Besides chairing the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House is third in line for the President, right behind the Vice President. 

John Boehner has been the Speaker of the House since 2011.  He has resigned, but is continuing in the position until a replacement can be named. 

Kevin McCarthy was the House Majority Leader and the obvious successor to Boehner, but he has announced that he is not interested in the position.  McCarthy said he felt a new face was needed that could unite the Republican Party and work across party lines. 

The most common name that now comes up is Paul Ryan, a US Representative from Wisconsin since 1999.  Paul Ryan has been the Chairman of the House Budget Committee since 2011. He came to national recognition when he was Mitt Romney’s running mate for Vice President in 2012.  With Democratic Senator Patty Murray, he negotiated the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. This was the first time since 1986 a budget was reached when different parties controlled the House and the Senate.  Ryan is currently the Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Paul Ryan probably knows more about Federal government spending and waste than anyone in government.  Partisan politicians that want to continue to grow the size of government consider this a negative, because Ryan will cut the budget and eliminate some of their pet projects. 

I think some of the negative things I have heard about Paul Ryan are interesting.  I heard someone call him a quintessential Midwesterner and not a very good liar.  I heard several comments that he was not a very good politician because he couldn’t lie. 

I am proud of my midwestern farm background.  I don’t like liars and never have.  Why does a large portion of the public accept the notion that a politician needs to be a good liar?  We have some great examples of excellent lies in high positions.  “If you like your health insurance, you can keep your health insurance.”  How is that working out?

I heard someone question Ryan’s ambition and motivation.  They said he went to Washington “to do something and not to be somebody.”  Obviously whoever said that is more comfortable with a narcissist than someone who wants to serve the people.  Personally, I have had enough of unqualified narcissists in government and think someone who wants to serve the people is what our country needs.  Unfortunately, Ryan say’s he is not interested in running for Speaker of the House either. 

Some commentators think the Republican Party is in trouble because there is not a clear heir apparent to the position of Speaker of the House.  I hope it is just the reverse.  Maybe the Republican Party is evolving to put forward qualified candidates to serve the people instead of unqualified party loyalists. 

Real change would be good.