So, will Boehner be tossed?
Boehner has been an underwhelming and frustrating Speaker of the House. As his challenger Louie Gohmert states, Boehner has broken a number of promises, including one that may have been in the nature of a final straw for Gohmert and others: he gave in to CRomnibus.
I don’t like Boehner as Speaker. I’m not sure anyone does. He seems a strange combination of dull and eccentric and shifty, and definitely does not inspire trust. Of course, the skills of a good Speaker are not necessarily the skills that go to make a person likeable. A Speaker has to be a crafty conniver, negotiator, strategist, power player, and it does no good to pretend otherwise. But it helps when a Speaker also inspires the belief—as Boehner does not—that he/she is committed to principles that are espoused by his/her own party’s rank and file rather than being at war with them.
I have no idea whether the bid to dethrone Boehner will succeed. Early reports were that it didn’t have a chance. But lately the news has been a bit more favorable to the anti-Boehner forces. If I had to make a prediction, I’d say Boehner will retain his position. But if he doesn’t, I would hope his challenger has not only the requisite conservative credentials but all the other attributes that a Speaker needs.
I haven’t seen evidence of crafty conniver in Boehner. I’d support him if I did. All I’ve seen in Boehner is a man who will cave into demands even before the demands are made. He is the perfect go along to get along Republican and needs to go quickly.
John Boehner admits that bribery of members of Congress is standard operational procedure. Further, Boehner admits that this is a long-standing practice
“When the House minority leader was questioned about taking bribes from tobacco lobbyists in June of 1995 in exchange for taxpayer subsidies, and then redistributing them to other congressional members on the House floor, Boehner said, “They [the lobbyists] asked me to give out a half dozen checks, quickly, before we got to the end of the month – and I complied. And I did it on the House floor, which I regret, and should not have done. It’s not a violation of the House rules, but it’s a practice that’s gone on here for a long time that we’re trying to stop and I know that I’ll never do it again.”
Boehner’s revelation goes hand in hand in hand with Nancy Pelosi’s admission to 60 minutes that Congressional insider training is standard operational practice for her fellow members of Congress.
artfldgr: which is what i said is behind CFL, Windmills, Solar, etc. take a defunct tech that is niche at best, invest in it as its under valued if mandated to the dominant form… and voila, you make millions and millions as your small cap 200 million firm becomes a large cap 4 billion company
It is to what purpose that a Speaker puts their craftiness, conniving, negotiating, strategizing and power plays that determine their worth. Boehner has repeatedly demonstrated utter failure but of course he is simply first among equals.
This is indicative of a systemic failure, the need for big money has resulted in a GOP leadership focused upon its big donor’s interests, rather than the country’s interests.
I’m doubtful that Boehner will be dethroned. I’m certain that if he is, the GOP leadership will do all it can to get another such as he chosen. Though I would love to be proven wrong, I think it highly unlikely that an actual conservative will replace Boehner.
But even if a conservative were chosen, the systemic flaws would remain and thus the ‘black hole’ of funding would continue to corrupt the system.
I’m becoming convinced that we have not yet gotten to ‘the causal why’, of why our politics are dominated by a leftist democrat party and a GOP big business party.
Artfldgr,
“Congressional insider training“?
I would have to disagree that Solar is a defunct technology. Certainly not economically viable as an alternative replacement but there is considerable theoretical potential improvement yet to be achieved and for off-grid applications, it is a highly viable technology.
Never trust orange people.
“Never trust orange people.”
Funny! He’s got that Broadway Joe Namath look.
I wonder if his tan is really orange or if it is just a Photoshop effect. It wouldn’t surprise me if the press is making him look demonic (vs making Obama look like the messiah).
I sent an email to my Representative requesting that he not vote for Boehner. I wonder if enough conservatives communicate with their representatives, would we see a new Speaker?
I think the Speaker’s job is like herding cats. If Boehner is replaced, I hope it is with someone who understands that.
Boehner is both timid and tone deaf.
By tone deaf I mean he gave in to Obama two seconds after the American People voted in an historic way to stop anything and everything Obama. It was that very moment B decided to be pragmatic and compromise on a bill not a single soul (except the villains who wrote it) actually read. One could not be blamed for wondering if he was in on a deal from months before.
Trey Gowdy would be a strong voice. We’d need someone like him. A person who could stand up to the Tyrant Obama and say NO!
That would be enough in itself to save America.
We shall see what happens.
Shorter summary: if the Speaker needs to be a bastard, he might as well be *our* bastard 😉
I can go for that. I think Harry Reid is a total sleazeball, but he was an effective sleaseball for the Democrats and the White House.l
I wish Boehner out of the Speaker’s chair as much as the next guy, but Louie Gohmert is an idiot of the highest possible caliber. This challenge will go nowhere.
Boehner should be replaced by someone like Gowdy and O’Connell by Sessions. Alas it is not to be.
It’s physiologically impossible for Boehner to be the type of speaker we need, for no man who cries that often could possibly have to requisite testicular fortitude to put up much of a fight against anybody for anything. Sure, he can nitpick against his own party and base, but against an opponent that might actually fight back? Hell no.
For anybody who claims that Pelosi promoted Democratic interest fairly well, I reply that she’s twice the man Boehner will ever be. Ever seen her cry? Granted, her facial muscles are completely dead, but still.
Yes, all men cry occasionally, and I can even forgive Boehner for crying about Gabby Giffords. But the man just doesn’t have the fight we need, and the orange tears prove it.
We got weak feckless and impossibly ridiculous looking leaders on our side. As PO’d as I am at their treachery and duplicity, I’m almost more embarrassed that they are even members of my party.
If the RNC is not purified, then fighting Leftists becomes a losing proposition. If Leftists aren’t eliminated as a power or an alliance, then fighting Islamic Jihad will be a losing proposition. A line of dominoes in terms of strategic outcomes.
Trey Gowdy does not want the speakership. The cavalry is not coming.
“Pollster Pat Caddell: One-Third of GOP ‘Hanging by a Thread from Bolting’”
“I don’t like Boehner as Speaker. I’m not sure anyone does.”
Talk show host Michael Medved likes him. And so do I. And so, from what I can tell, do many oher well-informed Republicans.
I can’t speak for Medved or the others, but I think Boehner has done about as well as he could, with Republicans controlling a single house of Congress. In particular, he has actually been able to decrease the overall federal budget in the last two fiscal years.
And I give him some credit for the Republican wins in this last election.
There is, in my not entirely humble opinion, an odd, almost “tribal” aspect to most of the complaints I have seen from Republicans about Boehner, as if he belonged to some alien “establishment” tribe that they are at war with. Example: those complaints about his complexion.
And I can’t help wondering if some — not most, but some — of those complaints aren’t “false flag” operations, from people working for George Soros, Tom Steyer, or someone similar.
After all, these efforts to undermine Boehner mostly help the Democrats in the short run.
(As I have explained at my site a couple of times, I don’t think that “establishment” is a useful concept for understanding American political parties.)
I know this about Boehner. I wrote to him about three months ago with an idea about how to finesse and embarrass Obama on immigration. I heard back from him the next day. Nothing definitive about my idea, but my Congress Critters take at least two weeks to even acknowledge an e-mail. He’s got a good staff who respond. Since then I have been sent several e-mails outlining the policy plans they have. Color me impressed.
Now, for all the people who have been complaining that Boehner could have controlled spending, I have a message for you. There are two houses of Congress. Nothing the House does goes anywhere unless the Senate acts on it. Period! That is why the government operated without a budget after the Pubs took back the House in 2010. The House budget bills were not taken up and everything was done by continuing resolutions. The one time the House mounted a challenge the government was shut down. The MSM told all the LIVs that it was the Pubs fault. That made further government shutdowns poison for the Pubs. The Pravda-like MSM has them over a barrel.
The strategy going forward is to pass plenty of bills that are reasonable and that poll well among most people (Things that cannot or will not be vetoed.) – Keystone XL, corporate tax reduction, repeal of the medical device tax, etc. The idea is to promote the Republican Congress as sober, measured, and trying to govern in a sensible fashion. Eventually they will pass items that will be vetoed and there will be sparks from that. Their strategy is to make Obama look like the unreasonable party. Which he is, but the LIVs need to see it that way. The hope is to pave the way for a Republican President and Congress in 2016. Only then can anything really conservative (like repeal of Obamacare, repeal of the EOs, and cutting back on regulations) be done They are trying to think long term.
What we don’t need is to have big civil wars within the Republican Party. The TEA Party has to quit attacking RINOs. The RINOs are light years better for our system than the progressives. The TEA Party needs to work to move the RINOs further to the right without incurring squabbles within the party.
Okay, all the hard-core conservatives can have at me now. I only ask one thing. Tell me where you are going to get the votes to carry out your plans.
The recent midterm was a referndum on all things messiah. Knowing that the gop would control the senate in January, and have a larger majority in the house; why rush to fund dc for the rest of the fiscal year? Why not fund dc for 30 days and then send bho a funding bill that addressed the desires of those that gave them control over both houses? The only possible answer is that the current leadership does not want to defund ocare and supports bho’s position on amnesty for illegal alien criminals.
A country club chamber of commerce gop is doomed to the dust bin.
Gohmert is my congressman. He is like Palin in some ways. He says a lot that is not politically correct. Therefore liberals hate him and moderate Republicans are not comfortable with him.
I once ran into him expectantly coming out a door of a public building. At that moment I could not for the life of me remember the word ” Congressman”, so I called him “Mr. Gohmert”. He looked at me and as he shook my hand and said “Its Louie”
“There is, in my not entirely humble opinion, an odd, almost ‘tribal’ aspect to most of the complaints I have seen from Republicans about Boehner, as if he belonged to some alien ‘establishment’ tribe that they are at war with.”
THEY are called RINOs, and they are not pro-Constitutional, not pro-growth and economic opportunity, nor anti-cronyist.
RINOs are indifferent to the decline of American liberty (20th in econ freedom, 47th[!] in media freedoms, and all falling under Obama). RINOs are for the corporate welfare state (ie, the ruling class).
As Dinesh D’Souza demonstrates, if you are not pro-American, you will cave and cater to anti-American Left.
RINOs must be culled, put out to pasture and cattle-prodded to death in order for American liberty to re-grow.
How on earth does Jim Miller hate American freedom so much as to not understand what tyranny-enablers are doing to destroy America? and what its defeat requires? How the Hell can you be such an indifferent whore?
I meant “I once ran into him unexpectantly”
JJ,
“The MSM told all the LIVs that it was the Pubs fault. That made further government shutdowns poison for the Pubs. The Pravda-like MSM has them over a barrel.”
“The strategy going forward is to pass plenty of bills that are reasonable and that poll well among most people (Things that cannot or will not be vetoed.) — Keystone XL, corporate tax reduction”
But they will be vetoed and the “Pravda-like MSM will tell all the LIVs that it’s the repubs fault. That the repubs haven’t changed and are still in favor of raping the planet, greedily supporting the construction of an inherently unsafe pipeline and once again cutting tax breaks for big business and the rich. And once again the LIVs will buy it, lock, stock and barrel, just as they did before because… what’s really changed?
“Their strategy is to make Obama look like the unreasonable party. Which he is, but the LIVs need to see it that way. The hope is to pave the way for a Republican President and Congress in 2016.”
The MSM will paint the repubs as the ones who are unreasonable with Obama the voice of patient reason and so, the LIVs will NEVER ‘see it that way’ not until it all blows up in their face and even then, their desperation will lead them into buying into the demagogue’s promised ‘rescue’ plan.
Hope is not a strategy, it’s a prayer.
You have it exactly backwards, it’s not the TEA Party who is attacking the RINOs, it is the RINOs who are attacking the Tea Party because they have the nerve to demand that the RINOs follow through with their pledges.
The RINOs are better for our system than the progressives… in the short term. But in the long run, they are taking us to the same cliff’s edge.
“The TEA Party needs to work to move the RINOs further to the right without incurring squabbles within the party.”
The reason there’s a volcano getting ready to erupt within the party is because the RINOs are adamantly opposed to moving to the right, as it does not serve their interests, which are the interests of their big donors, while they give lip service to conservative principles and repeatedly stab the base in the back.
How many more times are you going to let Lucy, at the last second, pull the ball away Charlie Brown?
Well said GB.
If I had any doubt about Boehner’s safety (and I largely did not) Geoffrey Britain’s extensive quote from Pat Caddell extinguished it. Caddell correctly predicted Ronald Reagan’s landslide in 1980, surprising most other pollsters who saw a close election. 34 years later, he has been wrong in just about every prognostication since. This includes non political matters such as New Coke. Take it to the bank: if Caddell makes a prediction (or intimates the same) believe the opposite.
Boehner will retain the Speakership. I doubt the raucous opposition will even manage a total of 20 votes. I think they realize as much. This is more a public protest (and publicity stunt to throw red meat at seething Tea Partiers) than a genuine challenge.
JJ has made an important point. Boehner did not have the power to make the changes that Tea Party people wanted. Despite that, we managed to get some very smart people elected. I would rather that these people work consistently to make incremental changes than to have a few more rabble rousers that talk big but accomplish little. Those people who believe we can immediately get rid of DOE, EPA, DHS, etc. are dreaming. With the new Republican state governorships and legislatures, we have a chance of changes occuring that make the idea of federalism more attractive and the ability to wear away at the national overreach. Whether it’s Jindal with school choice or Walker with public employee unions, Americans will increasingly see that they can address local problems at a local level and choose their own priorities. Every state or county legislator who turns his attention to creatively solving local problems rather than bragging about the state or federal money they brought in to solve a minor problem changes the way people feel about government. We have to give citizens a chance to feel their own strength and become aware of the shackles big government has put on them. When local boards of education begin to realize that the Bill Ayers types who have influenced so many local policies have given us a populace that can’t read, perhaps the university big thinkers will lose their clout. We have to get rid of messiah thinking and learn to encourage ordinary people to think more deeply about what they really want.
I just read James McPherson’s Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam. He describes the effect of Western Marylanders on the discouraged Union soldiers who marched through their towns. Despite the incompetence of their generals, these soldiers regained their faith in America as something to fight for. That is what we need now.
Caddell’s poll resonates with me personally. 18 months ago I quit the Republican party after 25 years. The reason: Boehner and McConnell. After returning RNC literature asking me for money with some strongly worded comments about RINOs , they have finally stopped sending me money pleas.
I wonder how many others are taking my route and how much it will matter? I’m happy with my decision. I did vote a straight Republican ticket this past fall, but then I live in Connecticut and my vote is meaningless ;-). Next election I will sit home or find a write-in candidate unless I see a BIG shift in the RNC.
For a good general summary of Boehner’s failure as a Speaker of the House, read: “Six Times John Boehner Proved His Incompetence”
Conservatives fed up with Boehner and the RINOs aren’t demanding that they wave a magic wand nor are they demanding that Boehner accomplish what he hasn’t the power to do. We are saying that he hasn’t tried and the proof of that assertion is that he has consistently caved without employing any proposed methods and strategies for taking Obama to ‘the mat’.
An inability to beat the bully is not an excuse not to fight the bully because the fight is ultimately won by the dog with the most amount of fight in them. Boehner has NO fight in him, he’s a modern day version of the civil war’s Gen. McClellan, all stoic talk (when he’s not crying) and no fight.
J.J.,
Your 2nd and 3rd paragraphs are spot on. I’ve written similarly in the past. We’ve been caught between a rock and a hard place for several years now and there are far too many who would rather describe every detail of the rock rather than the vision beyond.
(Orange skin? Puhleeze. Get a life)
Today begins a whole new environment for Obama and far too many republicans are so focused on failure they scarcely see the opportunities or the chances to shoot for them.
It’s not going to be easy, no doubt. I’ve never thought otherwise.
I’ve written for years on one of my biggest concerns; the mainstream media and their woeful negligence in criticizing or reasonably analyzing the Obama campaign and subsequent administrations. And their is no let up to this assault they engage in to demonize their opponents (anyone other than Progressives).
To J.J. and expat and others of similar perspective, keep focused on the opportunities and the fight to make good on them.
And do not cease in reaching out to your representatives, demanding that they too stay focused on conservative ideals.
Let the new congress begin their work. To send the barrage of bills up the flag pole to that ideologue in the white house.
So that he’s forced to act other than registering, “present”.
Mainstream media is going to continue covering for him. We have to recognize this and continue to work with it.
“Drill baby, drill…”
Boehner did not have the power to make the changes that Tea Party people wanted.
He spent most of his favors fighting the Tea Party and other Republicans. Why would he have the “power” to make the changes the Tea Party people wanted their own candidates to make?
People who watch Fox News for their political news and analyst, and that includes some of the people involved in the central argument here, are likely to back the RNC establishment, if only because Brit Hume and Krauthammer backs the RNC establishment.
That’s not really an independent analytical point of view, however, it’s just picking sides because the MSewerMedia, Fox News or no Fox News, told them that it was better that way. Fox News competes for the market share in the MSewerMedia, they were never designed as a war weapon to destroy the media itself. Fox News also gets many articles and tips from AP, a Leftist backed intel organization.
HA!
Typical for someone who cannot move the conversation forward to demonize FoxNews and its contributors. A news agency which offers literally dozens of individuals with disparate and divergent views. Yep—attack the vehicle for this one particular source for news.
As predictable as the day is long. Thanks for the entertainment.
Clarityseeker: sorry you didn’t like my lame joke about Boehner’s skin tone. My attempt at laughing rather than crying. But if you can’t recognize an obvious joke, maybe you’re not the master political analyst you seem to think you are.
The MSN is smiling at crony-king Boner’s re-election as House leader.
Time to leave the once great USA. Enjoy The Continuing Decline!
To use the current vernacular, THIS >> “Every state or county legislator who turns his attention to creatively solving local problems rather than bragging about the state or federal money they brought in to solve a minor problem changes the way people feel about government.”
When I went to the first teaparty rally here in Boston, I was so optimistic. It all seemed so obvious. “Don’t spread my wealth, spread my work ethic” read my favorite sign. The guy who brought it had just read The Forgotten Man, as I had. Everyone seemed to be on the same page about standing up for fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, small government, individual rights, adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law…
We were from all walks of life and had all been moved to come out to the Common to make our voices heard on these principles. So I naively imagined that this was all it would take for everyone to pull together. I expected immediate cooperation among all varieties of Republicans, libertarians, Independents and Reagan Democrats.
I’ve been learning a lot about politics since then! Out of necessity rather than interest…
JJ’s points are well taken. Maybe things are going in a more positive direction than I had feared, just moving more slowly…
Seems like a fundamental point is that the country was not designed to have a professional political class. It has become that.
Lots of exciting new young people getting elected, though, so there’s another positive to focus on!
KLSmith,
Just curious, where did I declare myself as a “master political analyst”? Nowhere.
Hardly. But thanks for the chuckle.
Since you brought it up, here is a thumbnail of who I am as it pertains to political and social issues, and sites such as this.
I read a wide array of information sources. From the Wall Street Journal OpEd to, Investors Business Daily. A few magazines delivered to my home; Smithsonian, Forbes and a few others. On the internet I enjoy reading, Reason, American Thinker, NRO, Townhall, Hugh Hewitt, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, Frontpage Mag and a few others. Don’t tell Neo, but, I have a secret crush on her. If I was not married I’d be asking her to meet me for dinner sometime.
What I am is a concerned American; one who spends time in effort to understand issues and how they affect me and my family. One who communicates with my representatives about same.
I understand your desire to label me though.
As for, Boehner’s skin color, I missed the “joke” part. I appreciated your use of, “lame”.
Happy New Year…
Clarityseeker: thank you and congratulations on being well read. so am I.
Sarah Rolph: “I’ve been learning a lot about politics since then! Out of necessity rather than interest…”
The same with me. Like you I was of the belief that the TEA Party was going to make a positive difference. It was a grass roots movement in opposition to the Porkulus and then Obamacare. The goal was simple. More fiscal conservatism and reining in of government growth. Initially the mantra was to forget the social issues and concentrate on only the fiscal and government growth issues. We had no leaders to speak of and were local and independent. We were united only in our opposition to deficit spending and government growth. One idea that was embraced was primarying Republicans who weren’t fiscally conservative. If we didn’t succeed, it was meant to send a message that there were people who were watching them.
It took a couple of years, but the movement was infiltrated by the religious right and national political operatives with agendas of their own. The TEA Party was successful in getting some candidates on the ballot, but they were, for the most part, candidates who pushed a social issues agenda and were often hostile toward any Republicans who they thought were RINOs. The result was generally failure to get people elected. The hostility to the Republican establishment created hostility in return. Especially when many of the TEA Party candidates turned out to be MSM punching bags who gave the Republican brand a bad name. Today the TEA Party is fragmented and ineffective because it is run by some national political operators who want MONEY – lots of it. I am the first to take to the streets when our local group protests and will kick in money to help with any costs for permits and advertising. But the so-called national TEA Party will never get another dollar from me. They have morphed into political pimps who are, IMO, as bad as any other shrill, phony fund raisers.
I am a fiscal conservative first and foremost. I’m also a defense hawk, but a cheap hawk. During the Cold War we always spent too much on defense and the military industrial complex was a powerful force in driving up government spending. Rumsfeld tried to do something about it, but with two wars going, he didn’t accomplish much. Now we’re cutting back, but in all the wrong places. We’re cutting muscle and bone now. Hopefully we won’t pay too big a price down the road.
Social issues are losers for Republicans at the national level. We should always work to resolve social issues at the state level. States are very different in the views of their citizens. Why force people in Utah to accept the social agenda of New Yorkers? And vice a versa.
What I have learned is that politics, as long as we have elections, depend on people getting involved with their representatives. When we don’t, we get what we deserve.