Everyone should read Ben's diary on the shenanigans of House Speaker "Dollar Bill" Howell. Here's a short excerpt:
As the budget conferees shuffle towards a wrap up of their work, it appears pretty clear that the budget which is emerging more closely reflects a slightly watered-down version of the Senate plan rather than one that contains the priorities House Republicans backed.Speaker "Dollar Bill" Howell put many of the most controversial issues to votes on the House floor. He then pulled the rug out from under members who stood with leadership, leaving members of the Caucus with egg on their face. Some of the votes were so bad, they're likely to be fodder for Democratic mailers and commercials next year.
[...]
...based on what I'm hearing, most of the rank and file is bewildered at how hard they were thrown under the bus by their own people.
Hahahahahahaha. Heckuva job, "Dollar Bill!"