Massie First Day Embarrasses Kentucky

Thomas Massie's first vote of the new Congress today was in the election for Speaker of the House.  Who did he vote for?  Justin Amash.  He was the only one to vote for Amash.  Even Amash didn't vote for Amash.  And who won?  John Boehner of course as everybody knew he would.  So why vote for Amash?  What did THAT accomplish?  What did it prove?

Amash had no chance of winning.  He only got Massie's one vote.  John Boehner is our neighbor to the north.  John Boehner makes committee assignments, controls which bills move up the agenda and will have a lot to say about whether we get the replacement bridge over the Ohio River.

But our new Congressman had to be different.  He had to show his fawning fans who know nothing about how the real world of politics works that he isn't going to play by the rules.  He stomped his child like foot, threw a little temper tantrum for the crowd and effectively screwed the people he is supposed to be representing.

He spit in the face of the speaker, was only one of handful of malcontents to act out and yet I will have to admit that he accomplished one  long time dream of his. 

He got to act like his hero, Ron Paul, and do something which will most certainly mean that he will never get anywhere, accomplish anything meaningful and forever be a part of the tiny 5% minority of complainers who can't see the world beyond the end of their nose.

This wasn't a bold move or a principled vote.  It was just a rookie move.  What an embarrassment for Kentucky.

Comments

[Frank Kolb]

Seems like a history of "go along to get along" is what has produced our current situation. Not an original thought, but it's appropriate. "If all you ever do, is all you've ever done, all you'll ever get is what you've always got."

[Sally_Oh]

I'd rather have 535 Massies (or Amashs or Pauls or Lees) in there than a single other status quo principle-compromising "representative" in DC. Sick to death of those guys. Massie'll learn the ropes, no fear there. If you knew him you'd know he won't come home with his tail between his legs. Give him a minute. Bravo, Massie!

[Marc's Reply: Oh I do know him. I know much more about him than he would like for me to know. And part of the problem he has is the tail between his legs. Thanks for the comment.]

[Geketa Holman]

So, shall we send out the putz patrol ? What a stupid thing to do and he is probably so, PROUD of himself and his little groupies are shouting amen .. you go Massie ! You should them how to waste a vote ! ROFL !~~~

[Frank Harris]

I'm sorry that establishment Republicans continue to support big spending Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Boehner. I'm proud to be a Massie supporter, and part of the fastest growing movement of TRUE conservatives in the country. The dinosaur ideas of the Old GOP aren't working - how's THAT for reality? The GOP Powers That Be gave us a socialist for heaven's sake in Mitt Romney, and here in Kentucky have tried to ram Democrat-turned-Republic-turning back to Democrat Trey Grayson, David "Double Dip" Williams, and Richie "Stop the Truck I Just Saw a Deer" Farmer.
Frank Harris - Lexington, KY

[Steve]

I guess I'm a short sighted idealist too. Isn't that what we should support in our government officials? Someone who thinks with their brain and does what is right? Who is short sighted? You who think that the politicians you elect should just play the same old political game that has gotten us nowhere and just fall in line because it will have more immediate effects for you? Or those of us who hope one day people wake up and start electing people like Massie that will do what is right regardless of the b.s. games. Maybe if we pressured our elected officials to do what is right instead of what gets us what we want right this second, we could actually see this country turn around one day.

[Boone Insider]

Some news sources are saying that people who were going to vote against Boehner got calls and told that their committee assignments might be in jeopardy. That's hardball politics but it's the way things in WDC are done.

Do you think that Massie might be punished for his boneheaded, tunnel vision vote against Boehner? If so, I guess he'd just be even weaker than he is now with no hope of getting any stronger. He's gone in two years if he doesn't run home crying before then.

[Missy]

It's pretty obvious that you don't like Massie. I started out thinking that he was going to be a breath of fresh air, and thought you were being too harsh. But the more I hear about him and see how little he seems to care about the district, the more I'm coming around to your point of view.

I think he is just a wide eyed idealist who is ill suited for the real world of Congressional politics. He will probably follow in Rand Paul's footsteps and become a media hound at the expense of Northern Kentucky, getting nothing done all the while collecting $176,000 a year in our tax money.

One-termer.

[Deborah]

You are exactly right. In fact Politico which is no friend to the Boehner bunch, had this to say about Massie and his handful of buddies:

"The nine Republicans who cast votes for someone other than Boehner are an eclectic group of rookies and backbench conservatives who live a largely off-the-grid political existence, situated outside establishment and sometimes even mainstream conservative boundaries.

Two of them – Justin Amash of Michigan and Tim Huelskamp of Kansas – were recently purged from committee assignments for being what one member called “the most egregious a—holes” in the House Republican Conference."

So Massie voted for an egregious A-hole who was purged from his committee assignment.

Spot on Mr. Carey, what an embarrassment.

[Bill Adkins]

Might as well get used to it - it's the mix of uninformed and inexperienced with a lack of life experiences upon which to draw that makes Massie what he is and produces priceless moments like these. But, hey, don't blame me. I voted for Adkins.