The online magazine argues that the current Speaker is relatively weak - he has little influence with the Tea Party wing of his caucus - but that might not be his fault:
. . . it’s not clear a more bullying or forceful leader would fare much
better with this gang of Republicans or in this dysfunctional Congress.
Boehner runs a House in which many of the traditional levers of power
are gone and of little use: earmarks for members’ districts, important
committee assignments and the backing of party leaders for reelection.
Most young conservatives don’t care about any of the three — and, in
fact, see all of them as manifestations of what’s wrong with and corrupt
about Congress and their party. They get more mileage from snubbing
their leaders.
So, he has adopted an entirely different style this year, one of
deference: deference to members, deference to committees, and deference
to others in leadership.
"He has realized that directed leadership
isn’t going to work with this conference,” said a top leadership aide.
“So he has taken a more organic approach, and it’s working pretty well."
