In retaliation for having the temerity to question [mc_name name=’Rep. John Boehner (R-OH)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’B000589′ ]’s leadership, Boehner has gone “full despot” against the 25 Republicans who voted against him as speaker.

In particular, Florida Republicans [mc_name name=’Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’W000806′ ] and [mc_name name=’Rep. Richard Nugent (R-FL)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’N000185′ ] will lose their spots on the powerful House Rules Committee. And, according to Politico, “[m]ore punishment is likely.”

Conservative “leaders” have sent a whiny letter.  But here’s an idea:  The “Jenkins Hill 25” should just start voting against the closed rules cranked out of the newly illegitimate Boehner-packed House Rules Committee.

Had conservatives voted against the rule on the Cromnibus, as I urged, that bill would have died and we wouldn’t be facing the problems we now confront.  As it is, Boehner was forced to spent 33 minutes breaking arms in order to salvage the Crominus rules vote from the jaws of defeat.

It’s true that there are more reps now, and the Jenkins Hill 25 would have to recruit four additional votes in order to defeat a rule. But on issues like mini-immigration bills, Obama-enabling “fast-track,” the debt limit, and a sell-out DHS appropriations compromise, that shouldn’t be difficult.