One Democratic Strategist thinks he knows how John Boehner could have remained Speaker of the United State House, and his answer is in Texas. Specifically, that Texas’ current House leadership is run not by the GOP majority, but by a coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans.
As part of the Point/Counterpoint segment on Austin’s KVUE news, Democratic Strategist Jason Stanford responded to a question about US House Speaker John Boehner’s impending resignation from Congress:
“He should have taken the Texas model. We have a speaker here in Texas, Joe Straus. And I hate saying this, but maybe Washington needs to adopt the Texas model here because he gets elected speaker with Democratic votes. John Boehner knew he couldn’t stay speaker unless he was willing to rely on Democratic votes. He just wasn’t willing to do that so he quit.”
Stanford, a radical left-wing Democrat, said earlier in the interview that undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials selling the body parts of aborted children “didn’t pass the laugh test.”
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus was elected in 2009 when a group of 11 liberal Republicans teamed up with 64 Democrats to oust Republican Speaker Tom Craddick (R–Midland). Straus has since maintained a coalition government with the Democrats, using his position to obstruct conservative reforms like pro-life legislation, spending limits, and legislation aimed at reining-in public employee labor unions.
In Washington, House Speaker John Boehner had enough shame to resign rather than form a coalition with liberal Democrats. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus has no such shame.
