Congressman Steve Russell has added these comments to others has made explaining his vote to retain Congressman John Boehner as House Speaker:
With the beginning of the 114th Congress, we now have a narrow opportunity to advance constitutional government. Last Congress, over 380 measures passed in the House fell victim to the Senate Democratic Majority Leader and were held up in the Senate – never again to see the light of day. We can and will change that.
To capitalize on the opportunity, I believe we only have about a nine-month window until Presidential politics begin to completely dominate the Congressional and legislative process.
On opening day of session, we saw a move by a handful of Republican members, who, like any of us, felt they were acting on conviction. Making an attempt to air disgruntlement felt by many Americans, the move to force current Speaker of the House John Boehner into a second ballot and then make a complete change in leadership was attempted. Ultimately, the move gained only 25 Republican members and fell far short by 13 of what was needed for their effort.
None of those putting forth their names for nomination ever contacted me, let alone asked for my vote, my views, or my positions. Three of the four actually had conservative indexes lower than Speaker Boehner. Even if their ratings had been higher, they had no leader, no plan, and no vision for the future. That is why the movement was not supported by many and ultimately failed.
My own vote was cast to support Speaker Boehner because continuity of leadership with the new Senate is crucial to move several hundred pieces of legislation to the President’s desk. These are the issues that Oklahoma sent me to Washington to address, including a budget, Keystone XL Pipeline, energy export, immigration, the sequester, stronger defense and foreign policy, among many more. Had the Speaker not been maintained, months would have been lost – and perhaps the best opportunity to push constitutional reforms with it.
Instead, we have already in the last 48 hours passed measures that weaken Obamacare mandates and create hope and jobs for Americans with the Hire Heroes Act. Now, any business can hire a veteran on VA or Tricare health plans with it not counting against their total employees in the Obamacare mandate. That is just a start. By the end of the week, we will expand the full work week language from an absurd 30-hour definition to the 40-hour week reality that businesses operate under so they will not be punished under Obamacare. We will also advance the Keystone XL Pipeline bill to the Senate.
James Madison rightly observed that “as long as the reason of man continues to be fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed.” With your prayers and the aid of our Creator, we can look with confidence as we labor to best improve our nation.
Disappointed, to say the least. Vote for Speaker wasn’t a “coup”; it was simply a change in the person who held that position. We (the voters) thought we had made it very clear in November; we wanted a complete turnaround as to the “norm” in Washington. Be that as it may; the one thing a lot of us will not do is vote for another BUSH in16!!! I will withhold my vote for President if J.B. is the nominee.
Steve, stay the course, go the distance. As Adams said in a letter to his wife Abigail “through it all I can see rays of light and glory”.
So let me get this straight, Bob. Not that I’m a Jeb Bush advocate, but you would rather have Hillary Clinton or some other liberal instead of Jeb Bush? Really? I find that hard to believe!
If this is the case, now we know why Romney isn’t president. Many Christians didn’t vote for Romney because he was a Mormon, thereby sending Obama back to the White House. That’s crazy, don’t you think?
“Sell-Out” – Steve Russell shows his ‘true’ colors…
Newly elected with a chance to start his term off with a resounding message to his constituents that he represents them and stands for REAL reform in D.C., Russell starts off with a BIG fat ‘F’ in mine and many others opinions who voted for him for failing to take a stand against the status quo of the Washington D.C. elite.
He could have sent a message by voting against Boehner so that we could start the new session off with fresh air instead of the spineless Boehner who has already ‘caved’ on our advantage to repeal Obamacare and any efforts at stopping Obama’s illegal and un-Constitutional illegal immigration plans.
Instead, Russell offers weak excuses for falling in line with the D.C. elite from day one, showing his true colors and his real priority of listening to the money and party instead of listening to his constituents.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by his actions- as a former military officer he’s used to following orders from his superiors. Now we know who he considers his ‘superiors’ in office and it certainly isn’t the people who put him there!
When reelection time comes, I’ll remember the phone call I received from his opponent before this past election, warning that Russell would be this kind of typical two-faced, sell-out politician. At least if I had voted for his opponent, I wouldn’t have been surprised by their actions….
Correction on previous post- omit “Senator Sell-Out” reference, I was having a ‘Freudian Slip’ of the brain by thinking Russell was a new Senator instead of 5th District Rep..
If Congressman Russell’s vote could have ousted the Speaker, I’d be inclined to agree, but in fact it would simply have been a wasted – and damaging – statement, accomplishing nothing. It would have called to mind the comment on the charge of the Light Brigade: “C’est magnifique, mais c’est ne pas guerre.”
I agree with Congressman Russell’s reasoning. It is compelling. His goal is to serve the 5th District by getting important measures past that will benefit the country and Oklahoma, working to restore Constitutional limitations on Presidential abuses of power, and restoring confidence in the Republican Party so that we can win the Presidency in 2016.
First, no more voice recognition, past/ passed, not the same.
In reading the comments, I am concerned that some people here believe that a Congressman must vote as they want him to. Seems like some of you want the Congressman to charge a machine gun emplacement, always a costly effort. I am sure that Congressman Russell would tell you that while that may sometimes be necessary, almost always the better tactic is to flank the impediment in the road ahead and avoid unnecessary losses in resources in your effort to reach the ultimate goal.
Here, the goal is Republican control of the Senate, the House and the White House in 2016. Unfortunately some of the views of our more conservative fellow Republicans are concerning to independent voters. Voters that are absolutely necessary to getting a Republican in the White House. If the more conservative Republicans in the House and Senate skirmish with the “moderate” Republicans on the more controversial issues, the national broadcast news will play on that firing up the far left and trying to convince the independent voters that Republicans want to burn trees, tie women to stoves, and pollute the rivers and streams with oil and coal. Well MSNBC would. Republicans need to find the common ground that we have, keep our disagreements internal and protect our Constitution from demagogues who make law with the stroke of a pen.
DO YOU WANT 4 or 8 more years of a Democrat in the White House? VOTE REPUBLICAN NO MATTER WHO GETS ON THE TICKET. DON’T BE A BABY AND NOT VOTE IF YOUR CANDIDATE DOESN’T MAKE THE TICKET.
there is no excuse for the betrayal you displayed.
James Reynolds
January 8, 2015 – 10:19 PM
I agree with Congressman Russell ! There has been FAR too much of the last minute voting without vetting or even scanning the text of what was being voted on. This is what the liberals have been counting on, a bunch of harem scarem action with no foresight as to what end the vote would lead to. Thank you Steve for keeping your head up and eyes open and not wasting a vote.
Got your six Col Russell
The time to cast a vote of “no confidence” in the Speaker is during the Republican Conference which was held in November. Not one vote of dissension was cast. Using this vote to cast the ideology of person is nonsense