Tag Archives: john boehner

Biden Might Actually Be Right This Time

Posted on by
Reply

When I read the Biden prediction that the Democrats would take back the House in 2012, my first thought was…wistful agreement.  I never really thought I would say this about a Biden statement.  Then again, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

What might have been but for Boehner and McConnell…

Yes, the Democrats might be able to retake the House in 2012, but it won’t be for anything they did.  It will be after two years of demoralizing capitulations and betrayals by the Republican leadership.  They made no real attempt to corral the spending we sent them to stop, keep their promises, or even be civil, and it’s going to sting come 2012.

Granted, the time between now and November is an eternity in politics, but I’ve seen nothing yet from Boehner or McConnell which would inspire anyone to try and keep them in charge.  Unless they change that, we may all get to see the impossible on November 6th.  It will be the day Joe Biden is right about something.

News link credit:  Michelle Malkin’s blog.

Two Republican Establishment Examples Before You Vote In The Florida Primary

Posted on by
Reply

Gingrich is getting pounded again as the Republican establishment tries to stop him.   The attacks are coming in hard now, and while Gingrich is none to conservative himself, but he has far more of it in his background than Romney and a better track record from his time in the House.  So in case you’ve possibly opened your mind to listening, here are two reminders of exactly who the Republican establishment is and why you should think carefully before taking their word on anything.

  1. The Senate just killed the motion of disapproval for Obama’s $1.2 trillion dollar debt ceiling increase.  Some Republican staffer commented about how red-state Democrats would suffer for it, which is completely beyond all comprehension.  All any Democrat has to do to deflect blame is remind everyone that this debt ceiling agreement was bipartisan, and possibly create an ad with McCain calling all the Tea Party types who didn’t agree with the approach that just handed the Democrats a win yet again Hobbits.  None of this would have been possible without the aggressive assistance of Boehner and McConnell, which won’t be lost on much of anyone.
  2. The House is passing legislation in a shady way.  This is either because the Establishment wants to short-circuit their own conservative caucus to maintain the status quo or they’re too terrified of Obama and Reid to resist the status quo.  They broke a few more promises too, and you can read the details at RedState.

This is the Republican establishment at work.  They’re the same establishment that wants Romney.  The same people that made the House the Other Democrat in spending after Gingrich left.  The same lot that led us to 2006 and 2008.  Why would the candidate they back be any different from them?

News link credits:  RedState, The Hill

Reid Has One Other Target For His Obstruction

Posted on by
Reply

Life’s not too bad if you’re Harry Reid.

He can fold Boehner any time he wants, after all.  He did it on the debt ceiling debate and for the 2011 continuing resolution.  Now, we have more fun on that point with this latest CR, another bill that wouldn’t have to exist if Reid had done his job and produced a budget.  Yet this isn’t a factor, because he’ll just whisper some hint about a government shutdown, and Boehner will run roughshod over his own caucus to capitulate once again.  He doesn’t even have to do anything substantive.

Is he taking advantage of a spineless Boehner?  Certainly, but the man’s not stupid.  He’s not simply trying to run spending through the House.  Reid has one other target in mind when he does this, and it’s the one whose enthusiasm caused the 2010 shellacking of his party:  The Tea Party activists.  Or to be more specific, the enthusiasm of the Tea Party activists.

Whether he knows it or not, Boehner is in the process of helping Reid and the Democrats close the enthusiasm gap.  He is bending over backwards to render any assertion made by any Republican that they’ll fight for their base into a cause for bitter laughter.  Every time Boehner runs scared because he thinks the Republicans will be blamed for a shutdown, he justifies the assertion that no, they didn’t get it, they learned nothing from 2006, and there’s no point in supporting the status quo Republican Party.

If Boehner and the Republican ‘leadership’ don’t figure this out come 2012 and on top of it, nominate someone like Romney, a man who spent years demonstrating that he won’t take a stand in the face of Democrat adversity, there won’t be an enthusiasm gap.  The Republicans will have proven themselves to be clueless and terrified, and no one will be in any hurry to support them.  They will have spent two years demonstrating cowardice against a party whose policies they’re supposed to be reversing.  That can be used to get rid of more RINO dead weight, but that won’t remove Reid or Obama from their jobs.

So, Reid has no reason to act in any way other than the one he is now.  Not only does he get what he wants short term, but he demoralizes the Republican base in the process.  And he can keep doing it, because it’s not as though Boehner is in any hurry to find his spine.

News link credit:  Hot Air.

Two Kudos For Boehner On The Debt Ceiling and Recess Appointments

Posted on by
1

I don’t find cause to give the Republicans much credit yet, but today is a time that it’s genuinely due.  Boehner steps up twice and is due for some real recognition.

1.)  He has Obama’s debt ceiling vote right here:  The house defeated a debt ceiling increase by 318-97.  While the bill was brought up under rules that required a two-thirds vote to pass, a number of Democrats voted for it anyway.  Not among them were their leadership.

It was likely brought up under the two-thirds rule to keep it clean of amendments.  No amendments, just the up or down vote on the debt ceiling.  It was one big brutal planned crash-and-burn to show Obama that he wasn’t going to get his clean bill.  Plus, Boehner left Obama dangling on the wrong side of the issue.  Well done, Mr. Speaker.

2.)  Recess, schmecess:  The House didn’t pass a resolution giving the Senate permission to adjourn.  While this sounds fairly mundane, it means Reid gets to hold his infamous pro-forma sessions again.  These sessions will block recess appointments…by his own President.

After some of the truly out of control loons Obama has recess appointed, not the least of which is that vile piece of work he put on the NLRB, this is a welcome bit of initiative by Boehner.  While this will have to end come campaign season at the latest, Obama will be putting utter loons in office during an election cycle should he choose to take advantage of that.  This will hurt him and the Democrats both at the time they can least afford it.

Once again, kudos to the Speaker.

It’s a few good steps in the right direction.  Boehner is getting with the game.  Let’s hope it’s not a fluke.