From the Washington Post: 5 reasons why being Speaker of the House ain’t what it used to be

The rules in Congress have changed dramatically in recent years, so it might be unfair to compare Speaker Boehner with his predecessors. The author argues that the institutional powers that allowed previous speakers to control the House don't exist anymore.

- Click here for the article.

Here's a list of what's changed:

1. Earmarking ban.

2. Politics/ideology trumps loyalty. 

3. More paths to power.

4. The weakening of political parties.

5. Job uncertainty.