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12/28/12,
"Mark Levin Audience Helped Defeat Boehner Plan B," Jeffrey Lord, American Spectator
"The Boehner Tax increase he called it. After weeks of taking on Republican House Speaker John Boehner
over Boehner’s insistence on trying to make a deal over taxes with
President Obama, by the night of December 20 — as House
Republicans were being pounded by the GOP leadership to vote that
very night for Boehener’s “Plan B” — the backlash dam finally
broke on Mark Levin’s radio show.
As we wait for the “fiscal cliff” negotiations to resume at the
White House, it’s worth going back to the evening of December
20 to note something that was overlooked as the Christmas
holiday overtook the news on the defeat — by House Republicans —
of Boehner’s Plan B.
As Levin’s show went live at 6pm Eastern, he opened with a
sharp, passionate look at Republicans on the verge of rejecting
longtime conservative principle — not to mention basic economics
— by raising taxes.
His first guest was Ohio's Rep. Jim Jordan the outgoing head of
the Republican Study Committee and one of the few Republicans who
was fearless in his open opposition to fellow Ohioan Boehner.
Jordan made plain his opposition to the Boehner tax increase
proposal, saying Republicans should never “cross the line” in
opposing economic growth, and called opposing tax increases a
defining principle for Republicans as to “who we are.”
“Now it’s all about the Speaker,” remarked Levin after Jordan
departed to return to the floor, citing with disdain multiple
reports of Boehner loyalists insisting “we can’t embarrass the
Speaker.”
Then, watching the Fox coverage from his broadcasting bunker,
Levin braced his audience for learning of House Republicans who
were on the verge of abandoning principle,
saying what was
unfolding “turns my stomach.”
“If they
want to talk like liberals — and they do — then get the hell off
the stage.”
The answer to all this Levin said, in response to his first
caller,
is not in Washington.
Then the drama ratcheted upwards. Levin, through his own
contacts on Capitol Hill, broke the news that House Republicans
were being threatened with losing their committee seats if they
didn’t support Boehner’s Plan B. And he also broke the news that
Boehner had scheduled an emergency Conference meeting.
Levin launched again -– and said this:
“Call your member of your Congress now.”
He called for “an official Levin surge” — and read out the
number (202-224-2131) for the House switchboard, asking his
audience to call the switchboard and ask to be put through to their
GOP House members and make their disagreement with Plan B known
loud and clear.
He recounted the tale of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor
insisting the GOP Leadership had the votes — and said it was
now plain that Cantor was lying.
More information streamed into Levin from his own sources, which
he immediately broadcast to his audience of millions, saying there
were now threats to subcommittee chairmanships if House GOP members
didn’t support the Speaker.
“Are you proud of Boehner, ladies and gentlemen?” Levin asked
his audience of the threats against GOP members. Adding: “We don’t
have to accept this.” He read out the phone number again, saying
“we ought to kick up a little dust.”
All this interspersed with the usual of talk radio — callers
and commercials. But as soon as they halted for a minute, Levin
kept up the pace. Then word arrives: callers from Levin’s show had
shut down the House switchboard.
So…he came up with e-mail addresses.
Insisting all the while that he had no illusions as to whether
this would work — he made the point again and again that it had to
be tried anyway.
Then still more drama.
You can stop calling, he tells his audience. Levin breaks the
news that Boehner had suddenly pulled Plan B from the floor — and
read Boehner’s concession statement on the air.
It was stunning, both as talk radio and as news. Boehner, Levin
accurately noted, had bullied rather than try to lead his fellow
GOP members.
The House leadership wasn’t “clever enough” to pull this off,
Levin said. He went on to note that there were millions of
conservatives who hadn’t voted for Romney in November — for
precisely reasons like those Boehner had made to pass his Plan
B.
Fresh from all of this, Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert — a
leader in fighting this nonsense — called in. His tone was
measured, decidedly not triumphant. This was about the
Constitution, said Gohmert, calling for using the constitutional
process of having the House pass a bill, the Senate taking the bill
and making their own changes, then sending it to a House-Senate
conference open to the public. This was what should be done, said
Gohmert,
instead of having Boehner and Obama negotiating behind
closed doors.
In other words, this entire episode — caused by too much
spending — should be resolved by following the Constitution.
Gohmert was followed by South Carolina Congressman Tim Scott —
in the headlines for being appointed to succeed the retiring
Senator Jim DeMint.
After Scott departed, Levin told his audience he had now
obtained from a source an inside list of the thirteen House GOP
members who publicly bucked Boehner mere moments earlier to vote
against the rule allowing Plan B to come to the floor —
reading
the names aloud one by one.
Boehner failed, Levin concluded, “because of people like you.”
Which is to say, his audience. Regular rank and file Americans had
jumped into the middle of this thing themselves — and they had
succeeded.
The show ended with Levin saying if the House GOP leadership
didn’t step down they should at a minimum get their act together.
“We intend to stand here and be heard,” he vowed of his audience at
the close, with a thanks to “the Levin Surge.”
Exactly.
The entire show, found
here, was a stunning display of grassroots Americans
standing up to Washington insiders in real time — and winning.
One suspects Obama’s second term will not be the picnic his
supporters envision. Clearly, Boehner’s speakership — if it
continues — won’t be a picnic either.
Not if Mark Levin and his audience have anything to say about
it." via Instapundit
========================================
Ed. note: I was lucky enough to be listening to Mr. Levin's show that night. Jeffrey Lord the author of the above piece may be in a position to know more about what went on behind the scenes. Many things amazed me about Mr. Levin's show that night. It was all low key, no fanfare. When his guests came on it flowed as naturally as if we were all sitting in a coffee shop talking. Tim Scott said we're not talking about the right thing, we should be talking about spending. Mr. Levin had immediate information, again without fanfare.
Most of the time we're ignored (by both Republicans and Democrats). If we're acknowledged at all we're ridiculed. That's why this night was so special for those of in the Silent Majority. Even if nothing more comes of it, for one night we were heard. Obama's second term will still be a picnic. He has nothing to worry about.
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