He's not going to be smiling for long.
The people House Speaker John Boehner gave the keys to have no intention of letting them go. They're putting likely incoming Speaker Paul Ryan on notice about what they will and will not expect of him, and the first thing they expect is that he
vote against the budget deal.
One of the members of the House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday called on all candidates for speaker to oppose the, in his words, "monstrosity of a budget deal" that would stave off a government shutdown.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) blasted the bipartisan deal that was being pushed by outgoing House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).
"Leadership's determination to ram through this legislation days before we reach the debt limit, with zero input from rank and file Members of Congress, demonstrates precisely what is wrong with Washington, D.C.," Meadows said in a statement.
That was said with absolutely no irony, which yeah, kind of does demonstrate precisely what is wrong with Washington. Other Freedom Caucus members, like
Rep. Thomas Massie (KY) have been going around grumbling about how Ryan "must have been in cahoots with leaders on the substance of the package." They're a suspicious lot.
Ryan's bid for the gavel will be voted on by the Republican conference on Wednesday, probably after this deal has been voted on. Now that he's on notice that his puppet-masters will be watching, expect Ryan to vote "no."