Indiana Congressman Todd Rokita (R-4th) predicts the chaos surrounding the election of a new House speaker will benefit Congress in the long run.
The government runs out of spending authority December 11 and is also approaching its debt ceiling, but Rokita notes outgoing Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has said he'll stay on the job until a replacement is chosen.
Rokita says Boehner may actually gain clout from announcing his resignation -- to the dismay of the House's most conservative members. He says Boehner's lame-duck status gives Democrats and moderate Republicans an incentive to work quickly while he's still in charge.
Rokita says the House will still be able to do its job, but says there may be a political cost to Republicans.
“Quite possibly, depending on how the media portrays it, but the founders didn’t mean this to be a streamlined, efficient process,” Rokita says. “This is supposed to be organic and we’re going through an organic process right now, and that’s all for the good.”
Rokita says it may be difficult for Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) to resist a "clamor" to seek the job, but says Ryan’s reluctance is sincere.
“At some point, I think every man or woman in this kind of position feels the calling of the country, and sometimes that ends up taking precedence. So, maybe there will be a change,” Rokita says. “But his official position is that he likes the work he’s doing in the Ways and Means Committee and he’s got a young family.”
Rokita says many lesser-known Republicans could also do a capable job.
