Why doesn’t anyone want to be Speaker of the House?

It is one of the most powerful jobs in Washington, but no one seems to want it. The republican party is still searching for someone willing to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives. They are putting a lot of pressure on Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan to take the job. Ryan continues to maintain he is not interested, and now they are practically begging him to run. Among those endorsing a Ryan speakership is his former running mate Mitt Romney, along with retiring House Speaker John Boehner, and the man who first wanted the job, then realized he didn’t, Congressman Kevin McCarthy. Would Ryan be capable of the job? No question. Ryan is well respected, and very conservative, but not an idealogue. Ryan is a pragmatist, willing to reach across the aisle to work with members of the other party. And for that, if he took the post, Ryan would be under constant attack from members of his own party. At least the Tea Party wing of the party, those who are willing to shut down the government over nearly every issue. Governor Walker thinks Ryan should take the job, calling him the only person who could unite his party. What does that say about the party? What does it say when Boehner bolted, and McCarthy nixed his quest for the job? Whoever serves as the next Speaker will have to try to unite the conservative republicans with the extremists. That is a job that even those who could do it don’t want.