Perhaps some Republicans should not have been so critical of Boehner - a very good read!
Why Boehner Mattered
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By Bruce Bialosky
Published Oct. 5, 2015A lot of people and/or groups were taking credit for John Boehner stepping down as Speaker of the House. Listening to his press conference I believe him that he was planning to do it, but the timing was moved up a few weeks by his inspiration during the Pope's visit. The joy that some people displayed expressed a particular naiveté in regard to what they expected to happen during Boehner's term running the House.
One of the mantras around today is that Republican voters were told "If we just win the House we will be able to change things"; then we were told "If we just win the Senate we will be able to change things." I don't remember candidates saying that. I don't remember Reince Priebus, Republican Party Chair, saying that or the leaders of the House or Senate.
First, it is always better to win than lose. Having Republicans in office is a lot better than having left-wing Democrats in office. Second, the best anyone could ever promise is to put a stop to the efforts of Obama and his partners in Congress -- Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Can someone actually say that we were better off when Harry Reid was majority leader of the Senate?
Here is one thing for you. Since the Republicans took over the House in 2011 the federal budget share of GDP has shrunk about 3%. That means the federal deficit was not falling just because the government was taking on more money. It was because it was spending less. Does anyone believe that would have happened with Speaker Pelosi in charge?
The fact is Obama is the most recalcitrant president in American history. Whereas presidents like Reagan, Bush and Clinton managed to work with Congresses of the opposition party, once Obama lost his Congress he made nearly no effort to work with Congress. Everything became confrontational. One wishes he was as confrontational with ISIS or Putin as he is with Republicans.
That is why our government is currently operating through courts. Obama has been sued and lost more than any other president. Obama's EPA lost once again this week. Boehner won the first lawsuit that established that Congress has standing to sue the President regarding Obamacare. It is probable the reason Boehner was the first to establish that Congress has standing is because Obama is the first president to be so lawless in his operation of the government. The "Constitutional Lawyer President" has shown himself to either have the least understanding of the Constitution or the least regard for it.
There has been a lot made about the divisiveness within the Republican delegation in the House, and that there has been a group of congressmen wanting to replace Boehner complaining that he has not been tough enough with Obama. The fact is this is one of the largest delegations of Republican representatives ever. Because of that there is going to be a significant political diversity within the spectrum of being a Republican. What voters want from Republicans in Utah differs from New York from Alabama and from Florida. They may not agree on everything, but they certainly agree on core principles. The major differences are on tactics.
The difference between these Republicans and when the Democrats held a larger majority in the 111th Congress between 2009-2011 is the way Boehner allowed a freer participation from his members.
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