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Boehner takes reins in House MULTIMEDIA
New GOP speaker promises end to 'business as usual' Photo Gallery: Boehner sworn in as
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House to vote on repeal of health care law

HAPPENING NOW

Senators seek data on

Gitmo detainee transfers
By Eli Lake - The Washington Times
Senate Republicans are pressing the Obama administration
for documents that outline procedures used in releasing
Incoming
terrorism-suspect detainees from the prison at Guantanamo
House Speaker John A. Boehner , Ohio Republican, receives the gavel from his predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi , California Bay, Cuba, information the Justice Department and State
Democrat, during the opening session of the 112th Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Department have previously withheld. Published 9:19 p.m.
Photo/Charles Dharapak ) January 5, 2011

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The 112th Congress gaveled open Wednesday with Republicans
taking control of the House and immediately rewriting the chamber's
rules, making it easier to cut spending and taxes, harder to add new
spending, and more open to voters who want to keep tabs on what
lawmakers are doing.
The rules changes, spearheaded by newly elected Speaker John A.
Boehner , mark a sharp departure from recent years, and pave the
way for the Republicans to pass bills that extend the Bush-era tax
cuts, slash government spending and repeal Democrats' health care
law - at least in the House .
"Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th
Congress . No longer can we fall short. No longer can we kick the can
down the road. The people voted to end business as usual, and
today we begin carrying out their instructions," said the Ohio
Republican, who leads his party's biggest House majority in decades
by a margin of 242-to-193.
He also acknowledged the "great deal of scar tissue" he said has built
up over partisan fights, presaging the head-butting he and his House
colleagues will likely do over the next two years with the Senate ,
which also convened Wednesday as Vice President Joseph R. Biden
Jr. swore in 35 new and returning members, leaving Democrats in
control, but with a much weaker 53-47 majority.
Updated: 3:37 p.m. on Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Democrats in Senate stall over
Print Email filibuster
View Comment(s) By Sean Lengell - The Washington Times
Senate Democrats are so determined to
Enlarge Text | Shrink curtail Republican use of the filibuster to
block their legislation that they've frozen time - technically
speaking - in the hope of hammering out a deal that will
prevent what they call an abuse of parliamentary procedure.
Published 8:32 p.m. January 5, 2011
Archives exhibit to
present glimpse into
private Reagan
By Joseph Weber - The Washington Times
With the 100th anniversary of his birth just a month away,
admirers of former President Ronald Reagan will have a
unique opportunity to see rarely displayed artifacts of the
Reagan legacy, from a marked-up draft of his 1983 "evil
empire" speech to keepsakes from the Gipper's Santa
Barbara, Calif., ranch. Published 7:31 p.m. January 5, 2011
Government computers hacked by fake e-mail TWT  
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updated ago
Justice Department cites lack of use of response
team TWT  National
updated ago
Gibbs joins parade to door TWT  Politics
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , who survived his own tough re-
election fight in Nevada to return to lead Senate Democrats, called on
senators to see one another as "teammates, not as opponents."
Democrats are trying to write rules changes to curb "abuses" of
Senate traditions he said have allowed Republicans to block parts of
the Democrats' agenda.

They hope to hold a vote on those changes later this month.

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President Obama wasted no time in pressing for action, resubmitting
a number of nominees Republicans had blocked in the waning days TWITTER
of the last Congress , which ended in December with a flurry of QUESTION OF THE DAY
activity.
Do you think the
Senate should alter its
Mr. Obama also received calls from congressional leaders informing
filibuster rules?
him Congress had convened.
j
k
l
m
n Yes

Both the House and Senate were packed for the ceremonial parts of j
k
l
m
n No
the day, including the election of Mr. Boehner as speaker, which saw j
k
l
m
n Other
each House member stand individually and announce his vote by
j
k
l
m
n Undecided
name.
View results
COMMUNITIES
But just hours later, the House viewing galleries were almost empty,
and only a few members were on the floor as the debate began on Independent voices from the TWT Communities

the substantive agenda of the day, which included major rules Making Change
changes that govern both spending and House operations. People getting involved in helping
others and making a difference.

On Thursday, the House will conduct a reading of the Constitution, which Republicans said is meant
to underscore the limits the founding document placed on Congress .
Has your group made a resolution?
O n e o f t h e n e w House rules requires that every bill lawmakers submit for consideration be Your vote means money for collaboration
accompanied by a statement in the Congressional Record pointing to a specific constitutional power
that would justify the proposed law. Haydon's Soccer Pitch
Covering the world of soccer,
including the World Cup, Major
Another new rule requires that bills be available online for 72 hours before lawmakers vote on them,
League Soccer, D.C. United and
which Republicans said will give voters the chance to read legislation and weigh in with their views.
the English Premier League.

Lilly, giant of women's soccer, retiring at 39

But the biggest changes may be on the budget side.
Beckham heading for Europe on loan?

Republicans have taken Democrats' pay-as-you-go, or "pay-go," rules and changed them into what
the GOP calls "cut-as-you-go." Under those changes, new spending would have to be "paid for" by The Common Sense Czar
other spending cuts, but tax cuts would not need to be offset. A satirical look at "career
politicians" while striving to create
what they fear the most: an army of
The new rules also would streamline the process for repealing the new health care law by exempting
"informed voters."
the repeal bill from budget requirements.
Congress discovers the Constitution
New Year’s resolutions for politicians and celebrities
Democrats said by carving tax cuts and health care out of the rules, Republicans aren't serious about
reducing the deficit.
Culinary Quest
"The American people did not bargain for a plan in the first 24 hours that would blow a hole in the Great discoveries in the world of
deficit and expand the debt," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the restaurants and chefs fulfill the
Budget Committee . quest for delicious food and
cooking.

Democrats also blasted Republicans for announcing that amendments will not be allowed to the first Baby beet salad from Chef Jimmy Schmidt
major bill the House will debate, to repeal the health care law. Republicans had promised a more Chef Jimmy Schmidt at Morgan’s in the Desert

open process, but they said health care repeal was an exception, since the issue has already been
repeatedly debated.

The new rules also limit the voting rights of delegates to Congress , including the District of
Columbia's representative, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat.

Under Democratic control during the past four years, delegates from the District and the territories
were allowed to vote when the House resolved itself into the committee of the whole, which can vote
to alter bills. They still could not vote during the regular House sessions needed to pass bills.

Republicans revoked their ability to vote in the committee of the whole.

"It is one thing not to have the vote; it is another to be stripped," Mrs. Norton said.
One key test for leaders in both chambers will be how well they are able to keep their troops in line.

Mr. Boehner survived his first test, winning support for speaker from all 241 Republicans who voted
Wednesday.

But former Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn't fare as well. Nineteen Democrats defected on the vote, with
18 voting for one of several other Democrats and one voting "present." It's the worst showing for a
party caucus' nominee since 1923, and highlights simmering tensions after House Democrats'
disastrous showing in the November elections.

A Democratic aide said the vote was only "symbolic" and said House Democrats have taken steps to
make their caucus more open to dissenting views. Still, the aide said voting against Mrs. Pelosi could
be seen as a blow against party unity that would not sit well with some groups central to the party,
including unions and minority rights activists.

Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat who garnered 11 of the protest votes, said he
presented a middle-ground alternative between Mr. Boehner and Mrs. Pelosi .

"We need more moderate voices in Congress - on both sides of the political aisle - that represent the
majority of Americans, not just the fringes on the right and left. That's what this campaign was about,"
he said.

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen Dinan
Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com .

Boehner takes reins in House

House to vote on repeal of health care law
GOP to scrutinize Obama's feats
New House rules end official commendations
Obama trails Bush on judicial confirmations
COMMENTS

New User b07d7 says:
31 minutes ago
You should change your screen name to to hit-piece-irrelevant. You have no
"FACTS" to back up your assertion that Boehner is in "FACT" an alcoholic. Your
statement that "political professionals" have been telling you this "off the record"
demonstrates what a spiteful fool you are. Why would you revere the opinion of any
political professional? These are typical "hacks" or "spokeholes" who are
deserving of no respect whatsoever. By the way, what government job am I paying
you to do?

factsmatter says: RedRuffansore says: When facts matter, you will normally see some
52 minutes ago
chowderhead named factsmatter posting a comment that sucks all the oxygen out
of the room with it's sheer stupidity. factsmatter, go find the nearest crosstown bus
and go give it a big sloppy kiss.
///////
John Boehner's Crying: Is He Drinking Too Much?
Incoming House Speaker John Boehner's recent interview on "60 Minutes" with
Lesley Stahl, where he once again cried publicly, has created a minor controversy
among pundits, with observers trying to figure out the cause of his unusual
behavior.
Is it depression? Or is Boehner simply in touch with his emotions? Does he wear
his heart on his sleeve, or does he cry on a dime because he has a tender spot for
all things American?
While it's impossible to know, some are beginning to speculate that Boehner's
penchant for turning on the waterworks might have some connection to his
consumption of wine. Liberal MSNBC host Ed Shultz, half-jokingly, called Boehner
a "cheap drunk" the other day, Capitol Hill aides of both parties are wondering, and
there's even a web page devoted to it.
So is drinking the issue -- and why might a person struggling with drinking be
more prone to weeping in public?
Speaking generally, Dr. Robert DuPont, who served as the second White House
drug czar and was the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, tells me
that "alcohol reduces inhibitions. Whatever emotion you have, you're more likely to
express it [when drinking]." DuPont added that alcohol reduces the functioning of
the frontal lobes, and "the frontal lobes have to do with judgment, which is why
[intoxicated] people do impulsive behavior."
Alcohol also "brings out underlying emotions," explains Dr. Michael Fingerhood, an
associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. "It generally is
unmasking what is inside them."
For years, political professionals have quietly discussed Boehner's drinking.
Some have told me off the record that his mannerisms remind them of that of an
 alcoholic. So far, most of the public speculation having to do with the connection
between drinking and Boehner's crying has come from the left. In addition to Ed
Shultz, liberal talk show host Randi Rhodes recently implied Boehner's crying was
due to his drinking.( snip )
But the speculation is becoming more widespread. Earlier this year, Joe
Scarborough noted of Boehner that "by 5 or 6 o'clock at night, you can see him at
bars." And as Politico reported, "One of [Boehner's] GOP colleagues noted that
Boehner cries more often later in the day."
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/12/15/john-boehners-crying-i s-he-drinking-too-
much/
//////
It is a open secret. Conservatives are always the last to know.

RedRuffansore says:
1 hour, 44 minutes ago
When facts matter, you will normally see some chowderhead named factsmatter
posting a comment that sucks all the oxygen out of the room with it's sheer
stupidity. factsmatter, go find the nearest crosstown bus and go give it a big sloppy
kiss.

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