GOP caucus chaos: Where’s the Whip when you need one?

I am glad that someone else is understanding my concerns. This is a question that definitely needs answering. The Speaker needs to be challenged and taken to task for his lack of leadership. These are not isolated events, they have been happening for a while now. Stand up Mr. Speaker to your caucus and get some work done this session.

The fiasco that has become the payroll tax cut-unemployment benefits extension fight has called into question the leadership of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). Dana Milbank and Greg Sargent go right at it in their pieces today. And I agree with them 100 percent. But I think there’s a need for some blame-sharing. Sure, Boehner is the leader. But Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is the majority whip. That there have been so many legislative failures should call into question not only his ability to count but also whether he has the speaker’s best interests at heart.

What’s a majority whip, you ask? That’s the person who keeps a running tally of where the votes are and aren’t for whatever bill or plan the leadership might be pursuing. With that information, the speaker can guide the bill or plan to a successful conclusion. Think of it this way, if the speaker is the captain of the ship, then the whip is his or her rudder. If the rudder is stuck or unresponsive all hell can break loose — as we are seeing.

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