House GOP nominates Ryan as speaker, with Trump's support

[webfact]

House GOP nominates Ryan as speaker, with Trump's support

By ERICA WERNER

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Paul Ryan unanimously won his GOP colleagues' votes on Tuesday for another term at the helm of the House. He told fellow Republicans he had President-elect Donald Trump's support, and heralded "the dawn of a new, unified Republican government."

 

"It feels really good to say that actually," Ryan told reporters. "This will be a government focused on turning President-elect Trump's victory into real progress for the American people."

 

While victory was the GOP unifier, Democrats were verging on disarray. House Democrats abruptly announced Tuesday that they were delaying their own leadership elections set for Thursday until Nov. 30 to give lawmakers more time to process disastrous election results.

 

It's not clear whether the election delay might morph into a real challenge to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. She has led House Democrats for more than 12 years and has consolidated support with strong fundraising and an ability to deliver votes, but there's long been grumbling from Democrats who say new leadership is needed at the top.

 

As for Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican still has to win a floor vote for speaker in January, when all members of the House will cast ballots, including Democrats.

 

But he secured the nomination at a closed-door GOP conference vote Tuesday afternoon with the strong backing of his fellow House Republicans, even though a few conservative dissenters pushed unsuccessfully to delay the balloting.

 

Those grumblings of dissent could hardly be heard over the buzz of enthusiasm as House Republicans convened for their first regular conference meeting since Trump won the presidential election. Even though a number of House Republicans, including Ryan, had opposed Trump or were critical along the way, most said they're now firmly on board and prepared to try to enact Trump's agenda on immigration, infrastructure, energy and jobs.

 

Republicans also backed California's Kevin McCarthy to continue as majority leader and Steve Scalise of Louisiana to stay on in the No. 3 job of House whip.

 

Lawmakers trooped out of their morning meeting in the basement of the Capitol smiling, pledging quick action to roll back President Barack Obama's accomplishments and clutching red "Make America Great Again" hats.

 

"That was a nice fun touch. Now here's my problem: Every member wants it autographed," said GOP Rep. Chris Collins of New York, who has been tapped as congressional liaison to the transition team. "I'm going to have to say, 'President-elect Trump, bring out your Sharpie, we've got to do a lot of autographing.'"

 

During the meeting, Ryan told colleagues that he'd spoken Tuesday morning with Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who said that he and Trump "are very supportive of the leadership team and are looking forward to working with them," said Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.

 

Coming after a campaign full of very public GOP infighting and clashes between Ryan and Trump, it's "a validating moment," said Lummis.

 

Republicans had widely been seen at risk of losing the Senate and suffering major losses in the House, but instead lost just two Senate seats and a half-dozen in the House, giving them full-scale control of Washington for the first time in a decade.

 

For Democrats, ill-feeling was only magnified in defeat.

 

"Everything's not good. Business as usual is not gonna work," said Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. "This is about our constituents. Saying we have heard you. We have clearly missed the mark with regard to legislation and messaging."

 

For Republicans, though, it was heady times after they've spent years watching their legislative priorities get stymied, if not by Democrats in the Senate then by Obama's veto pen.

 

The situation also brings risks since Republicans will have no one to blame but themselves if they can't deliver on Trump's promises. Already GOP leaders and Trump himself have been shifting on some of his pledges, including the border wall and a full repeal of Obama's health care law.

 

On Tuesday, Ryan refused to answer directly when asked if Congress would go along with Trump's plan to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure. "These are things we're working on. ... The point is Donald Trump wants jobs," he said.

 

Ryan also avoided a direct answer on Trump's appointment of Stephen Bannon to a senior White House role. Bannon's Breitbart website, which embraces white nationalist currents, has frequently singled out Ryan himself for attacks.

 

"Look, I would just simply say that the president is going to be judged on his results," Ryan said. "I'm not looking backwards, I'm looking forward."

 

In the Senate, Republicans and Democrats were meeting separately Wednesday to pick their leadership teams. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is keeping his job in a chamber that Republicans will control by 52-48. Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is retiring after a 30-year Senate career and will be replaced by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Alan Fram contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-11-16

[connda]

Amazing how fast Ryan flipped after Trump won the election.  He was on MSM news gushing about Trump before Clinton gave her concession speech.  There are many interesting creatures in the swampy cesspool of Washington DC.  The re-elected Speaker of the House must be one of those brown-nose, flip-flop swamp foxes who will attack you in the swamp one minute, and then want to be your lapdog the next.  And some thought that Trump would drain the swamp.  Lol 

Edited November 16, 2016 by connda

[jerojero]

Flip flop, say but do different, then do nothing. Politicians! All the same.

[Morch]

2 hours ago, connda said:

Amazing how fast Ryan flipped after Trump won the election.  He was on MSM news gushing about Trump before Clinton gave her concession speech.  There are many interesting creatures in the swampy cesspool of Washington DC.  The re-elected Speaker of the House must be one of those brown-nose, flip-flop swamp foxes who will attack you in the swamp one minute, and then want to be your lapdog the next.  And some thought that Trump would drain the swamp.  Lol 

 

Amazing if anyone thought he wouldn't. But hey....the swamp is being drained. Or is it?

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, connda said:

Amazing how fast Ryan flipped after Trump won the election.  He was on MSM news gushing about Trump before Clinton gave her concession speech.  There are many interesting creatures in the swampy cesspool of Washington DC.  The re-elected Speaker of the House must be one of those brown-nose, flip-flop swamp foxes who will attack you in the swamp one minute, and then want to be your lapdog the next.  And some thought that Trump would drain the swamp.  Lol 

Try the La Brea Tar Pits. Draining the Washington swamp only raises up a bunch of zombies that were resting there. Of the Republican nature. Its bad enough to make me give up watching "The Walking Dead" Guliani and John Bolton I think were in the last episode. No matter how much a politician spouts change in the end it just stays the same some oinkers leave the trough only to be replaced by others. 

Edited November 16, 2016 by elgordo38

[Jingthing]

Ryan wants something really  BIGLY out of this make nice act. He wants to realize his long time dream, to massively shrink government and starve the cash from core FDR New Deal social programs, Medicare and Social Security. He's playing the long game. He may well win it.

 

I wonder what percentage of trump voters already realize they've been conned by a pro con man? Probably not many yet ... but stay tuned as this stuff gets real. 

Edited November 16, 2016 by Jingthing

[lannarebirth]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Ryan wants something really  BIGLY out of this make nice act. He wants to realize his long time dream, to massively shrink government and starve the cash from core FDR New Deal social programs, Medicare and Social Security. He's playing the long game. He may well win it.

 

This is what he's after:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Commission_on_Fiscal_Responsibility_and_Reform

[elgordo38]

More Clown Car Crackups

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/donald-trump-considers-another-anti-muslim-conspiracy-theorist-for-his-team/ar-AAkluuN?li=AAggv0m

[Grubster]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Ryan wants something really  BIGLY out of this make nice act. He wants to realize his long time dream, to massively shrink government and starve the cash from core FDR New Deal social programs, Medicare and Social Security. He's playing the long game. He may well win it.

 

I wonder what percentage of trump voters already realize they've been conned by a pro con man? Probably not many yet ... but stay tuned as this stuff gets real. 

If Trump caves into Ryan's agenda I will be very surprised and disappointed for sure.

[dunroaming]

Trump has a very small pool of people to pick his team from given that he has committed to those who backed him for the Presidency.  Ryan didn't but was quick to eat his words and join the others at the pig trough.  However just how shallow the loyalty will be is questionable at best.

 

I do think that Giuliani would be the best of a pretty awful list to be Secretary of State.  He at least has experience as far back as Reagan.  As for the rest? Just don't hold your breath!

[ilostmypassword]

6 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

 

This is what he's after:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Commission_on_Fiscal_Responsibility_and_Reform

Which is why he supports massive tax cuts?

[Jingthing]

Ryan will be the most powerful house majority leader in history.

[Anthony5]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Ryan wants something really  BIGLY out of this make nice act. He wants to realize his long time dream, to massively shrink government and starve the cash from core FDR New Deal social programs, Medicare and Social Security. He's playing the long game. He may well win it.

 

I wonder what percentage of trump voters already realize they've been conned by a pro con man? Probably not many yet ... but stay tuned as this stuff gets real. 

 

So what is wrong with massively reduce the snouts at the trough shrink government, something that should happen all over the world right now, and is also Trumps agenda.

[ilostmypassword]

There as an article somewhere that maintained that Trump, being pretty clueless about the issues, is actually eager to turn over the legislative agenda to Ryan. I would love to believe it but I can't imagine Trump being so foolish as to support privatization of Medicare.  Although he has been making a few noises in that direction. Here's hoping!

[lannarebirth]

2 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

There as an article somewhere that maintained that Trump, being pretty clueless about the issues, is actually eager to turn over the legislative agenda to Ryan. I would love to believe it but I can't imagine Trump being so foolish as to support privatization of Medicare.  Although he has been making a few noises in that direction. Here's hoping!

 

Well, he's still going through his learning curve.