Moderate House Republicans failed to line up votes for separate plan
Updated 7:30 p.m. ET 9/30/13
Washington (CNN) - Moderate House Republicans who wanted to fund the government with no strings attached failed to line up votes against a House GOP plan to renew federal coffers while chipping away at Obamacare.
Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pennsylvania, Rep. Peter King, R-New York, and others feverishly made calls to stage what would have been effectively a revolt.
They said they were hoping there were enough GOP members like them who were fed up with the tactics of the leadership that they can find enough votes to defeat the first procedural measure, known as the rule.
That would have prevented the House GOP leadership from even bringing their plan up at all. Because the moderate Republicans failed to generate enough support, the broader GOP bill that includes anti-Obamacare provisions will now go to a final vote.
Given the makeup of the GOP caucus, the House Republican moderates needed 17 Republicans to agree to defy their leadership, and be willing to face what will undoubtedly be the wrath of the conservative grassroots.
"We have people in the conference, I believe, who'd be just as happy to have the government shutdown," King said. "They live in these narrow echochambers. They listen to themselves and their tea party friends. That keeps them going, forgetting that the rest of the country thinks we're crazy."
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They don't have a chance in hell of success. They have become hostage to the extreme faction of their party, and are no better equipped to deal with these jug heads than anyone else. Nations can not, and will never run on idealism's. They need to be ran on sound governing principles. Something the tea party knows noting about.
Kick John Boehner out. He is wrecking our congress.
Kudos to the real Republicans for at least trying to overcome the hostage takers. The Tea Party is jumping off the political cliff and dragging the rest of the Republican Party over with them. Sad day for America.
A few of the republican folks here seem to forget really need to study up on definitions and history. First of all, this isn't the first "socialist" program ever in this country. Example? SOCIAL SECURITY. Next Medicare. Programs such as Farm Subsidies, First time Homeowners Assistance also could be called "socialist" since they have a sociatal impact. Let's also not forget unemployment insurance for those in society that don't have a job.
Hats off to Dent and King for trying to do the right thing. At least they have not descended into the total madness of the tea party..
We are seeing "in bold relief' a ship of fools. In November of 2014 the voters can bring them all home.
The House GOP is crazy! Who are they kidding!
This is what happens when you let the inmates run the asylum. Now the moderates have no say in their own party.
The tea party was never a 'grass roots' effort. We are so busy trying to find someone else to blame for our own shortcomings and failings that the real puppetmasters have a never ending supply of fodder for the cannons of public angst. We're being held hostage for certain but it's not the 'tea party' holding the keys to the shackles....
Thank you Republicans. Shut it down if the idiot Dems won't compromise. Kick out all liberals in 14! They are ruining the country
So let me get this straight. These TEA party people won the presidency and the majority of the congress. OH WAIT, they didn't and they still think they can ram their agenda of ending obamacare down our throats. I hope we can at least end this madness at the next house elections.
Democrats have to love this and what it portends for the next elections.
Just further proof that, in the GOP, the inmates are running the asylum.
So who are these moderate Republicans?
It's about time someone stands up to our President. Too long has he been allowed to run this country into the ground I just can't believe everyone says Republicans are being unreasonable. Democratic Party does not want to negotiate either on health care and neither does our President. They have taken the same my way or the highway approach the republicans have but yet are not facing equal scrutiny. I applaud the conservative movement and can only hope they don't give in or our President will know he can do anything he wants because he holds the senate in his back pocket. Come to the bargaining table equally or dig in.
Shame on John Boehner.. he is kowtowing to a minority faction, his leadership ability is non existent.. He needs to bring a clean bill to the floor. Funding government is not negotiable.. Boehner and Cruz need to tarred and feathered.
It is too bad. Those moderates might have been able to save the GOP, but the extremists and those they have intimidated would not allow it. Now the Dem nomination for President becomes especially valuable–it is the process that will select the next President. The General Election will just be the affirmation.
Joe McCarthy and Tricky Dick are alive and well in the Republican Party.
Joe McCarthy (aka Ted Cruz) has delusions that he represents the majority of Americans. He's just like Mitt, who thought for sure he was winning the 2012 election up to the last moment when he had to tear up his acceptance speech. If you only talk to people that agree with you, you fool yourself into thinking that everyone agrees with you.
None of them have the slightest idea how Americans are suffer at their hands...how people need health insurance, even if it only covers catastrophes.
The only way to deal with these people is to vote them out of office.
Well 57% of Americans now agree with Mitt and only regret they couldn't make a difference now
Much too little too late. The tea potters have taken over the Republican Party and are following Ted "crazy" Cruz right over the cliff, while possibly taking the entire country over with them.
What a shame!!! The RINOs lost.
Shane,
The dems aren't negotiating because the Affordable Care Act has already been voted into law. Passing a contuing resolution is supposed to be a simple prodecure to fund the government until a formal budget is in place. The Republicans are trying an end around on something that was already voted into law mainly for grantstanding purposes. The point is it's NOT supposed to be a negotiation about major laws when passing a continuin resolution. At most the debate is supposed to be centered around the amount of the CR.
The public will remember this come 2014 Congressional elections. The gerrymandering can only help the GOP so much.
A government shutdown would be a wound to the fragile US economy. I just don’t understand how any Congress person who holds them self to be a patriotic American can threaten their own country with financial ruin just to get their way. These things are not compatible. Do the right thing for your country!
It's a shame the moderate Republican's could not get enough votes. I honestly respect anyone who goes beyond their party to the REAL best interest of the people. Not trying to bow down to the minority base. I honestly hope the American public realize that the 2 party system is dead. We need a third option.