"House Republican leadership team still learning on the job" - Carl Hulse, NY Times

[pinto]

While I don't support some of the monetary measures that were passed today, I think this is an interesting political aspect to our on-going fiscal bout with the Repubs. And one I assume House Dems are taking into account. ~ pinto

Unruly G.O.P. Puts Boehner to a Test in Budget Vote

By Carl Hulse
Published: April 14, 2011

WASHINGTON — It should have been a moment of victory for Speaker John A. Boehner and fellow members of a House Republican leadership team still learning on the job as they forced through a record level of spending cuts. Instead, it felt a little like defeat.

Though the House voted convincingly to end the spending fight that had brought the government to the brink of a shutdown, Democrats had to ride to the rescue to provide the winning margin as dozens of Republicans turned thumbs down.

Fifty-nine Republicans — nearly a quarter of the new majority — rejected the measure personally negotiated by Mr. Boehner and endorsed by his top lieutenants, Representatives Eric Cantor of Virginia, the majority leader, and Kevin McCarthy of California, the party whip. Another lawmaker said he would have opposed the measure but missed the vote. Twenty-seven of the 59 who bucked the leadership were freshmen.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/us/politics/15boehner.html

[E_Equals_MC2]

1. They don't need to know how to lead

Just need to know how to shape the argument so that middle class Americans vote against their interests