John Boehner

Republican Infighting Rising!

Ronald 1 Comment

It is now clear that the Republican Party is imploding rapidly!

Witness the condemnation by right wing groups of the budget deal arranged by Congressman Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, which helps to avoid another government shutdown, and attempts to provide a stable economic environment for the next two years. As Ryan said it, it is essential for some compromise, while not giving up one’s core principles. The deal is far from great, and will require payment of some retirement contributions by people in the military, and higher airline fees for passengers, but it is a step forward to avoid more economic chaos.

But various right wing groups have opposed the deal, and it is likely that Speaker John Boehner will have to count on Democratic votes to get the package approved later this week, before Congress takes a holiday break, possessing the worst record for performance of modern Congressional history! Boehner has already expressed his annoyance at conservative groups, and so the the infighting continues, as Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Tom Coburn have already denounced the agreement.

One outcome of this agreement is likely the death knell of a Paul Ryan campaign for President, because after all, he was willing to “compromise”!

But this is not the only infighting going on, as Newt Gingrich and Ted Cruz had the “gall” to issue statements complimentary of Nelson Mandela, infuring the far Right, as if Gingrich and Cruz are not part of that group. It is the crazy loonies attacking the mere crazies.

For progressives, it is a fun time, and all that one needs is some soda and popcorn, and sit and enjoy the lunatic fringe acting more looney by the moment!

The Ten Senate Republicans Who Supported The Employment NonDiscrimination Act

Ronald 2 Comments

The Employment NonDiscrimination Act was approved by the US Senate this week by a vote of 64-32, including 54 Democrats and 10 Republicans, who agreed that to allow discrimination against workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity was immoral, unethical, simply wrong in America in 2013.

At the same time, 32 Republican Senators continued to show no concern about such discrimination, and in so doing, condemned themselves in history, as much as those opposed to the Civil Rights laws passed over time to ban discrimination against Americans, based upon race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, and disability.

The House of Representatives majority would back such legislation, but it is clear that Speaker of the House John Boehner, personally opposed to the bill, will not call for a vote, because he knows a large percentage of his own party would vote against it, so it will likely languish until the Democrats can win a majority of the House in future years.

The honor roll of those Republicans who showed a conscience and principle include:

John McCain of Arizona
Susan Collins of Maine
Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire
Jeff Flake of Arizona
Rob Portman of Ohio
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania
Mark Kirk of Illinois
Orrin Hatch of Utah
Dean Heller of Nevada

Notice that not even one Senator from the South supported ENDA. One would have thought that, possibly, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, sometimes open minded on some issues, would have done so, but the power of the Tea Party, religious groups that promote prejudice and hate in the name of their brand of Christianity, and the reality of reelection contests for Alexander and Graham in particular, make that impossible.

After all, being reelected is more important than doing the right thing for the long run of history, right?

Advancements On Gay Rights, But Plenty Of Struggle Ahead

Ronald 4 Comments

The vote of the US Senate yesterday to agree to overcome a potential filibuster, and allow a final vote on ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) is a great move forward on civil rights.

The proposed law, discussed for many years, would ban employers from firing, refusing to hire, or discriminating against workers or job applicants based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The procedural vote was 61-30 with 54 Democrats (all but Claire McCaskill, who was not present), and 7 Republicans (Susan Collins, Kelly Ayotte, Dean Heller, Mark Kirk,. Rob Portman, Orrin Hatch, and Pat Toomey) in favor.

So the bill will pass the Senate in the next few days, but disturbing is that 30 Republicans had the nerve to vote for continued discrimination, and 8 Republicans were not recorded as voting.

It will be interesting to see if any of these 38 Republicans will vote for the final bill, particularly such Senators as John McCain and Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and John Thune, who at times have shown some moderation as compared to most in the Senate Republican caucus.

At the same time, Illinois moved today toward final acceptance of gay marriage, making that state the 15th to have gay marriage, going into effect by the summer of 2014.

At the same time, other states seem to be moving in the same direction, including Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, although at different measurements of progress.

Regarding the ENDA legislation, IF Speaker John Boehner allowed an open vote, the legislation would become law, with most Democrats and enough Republicans to make it the law of the land , but Boehner has indicated that he will not allow a vote, which, if it is pursued all the way, would stop any chance to do what is morally right to do, stop job discrimination, So pressure must be brought to convince him to change his mind, and allow a vote even without a majority of his caucus.

The One Virtue Of The Government Shutdown: John Boehner And Mitch McConnell Will NOT Support Another Such Shutdown!

Ronald 5 Comments

The one virtue that comes out of the federal government shutdown, which cost the Gross Domestic Product $1.5 billion a day, a total of $24 billion for 16 days, is that it has convinced GOP leaders that the tactic will not work,

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has stated that he will NOT allow another government shutdown, as he is well aware how it has hurt the Republican brand, with nothing gained by the action. He will face a Tea Party opponent in the Kentucky Senate primary, including the opposition of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Ted Cruz, but this should make a good case for opposition to those Tea Party lunatics who have no concern about the effect on the American economy of what they supported.

Speaker John Boehner has not stated quite the same sentiments, but it is clear that he will not support such a looney concept the next time, as he ended up backing away at the brink of the crisis.

Yes, McConnell and Boehner are both to be condemned for their handling of the situation, but at the end, both were ultimately responsible when push came to shove, and they and the Establishment Republicans have learned a hard lesson,

With the help of Wall Street, the Tea Party lunatics will face challenges in the primaries from mainstream Republican conservatives, and hopefully, some will lose their seats either to these establishment types, or the seats will swing over to the Democrats, with the chance of a Democratic takeover growing, and the likelihood of a Republican takeover of the US Senate a less likely scenario, as a result of the government shutdown and debt ceiling debacle.

As Barack Obama declared, it is time for serious action on immigration, tax reform, and the farm bill, instead of wasting time on what is ultimately a lost cause, the destruction of ObamaCare by repeal, which is NOT going to happen.

Anyone who seriously thinks the Tea Party Movement will triumph in 2014 and elect Ted Cruz President in 2016, with a Republican House and Senate, is certainly using hallucinatory drugs, and needs to be hospitalized for mental observation!

Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Sarah Palin And The Confederate Flag At The White House: Reprehensible!

Ronald 3 Comments

A crowd descended on the gates at the White House on Sunday, led by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Senator Mike Lee of Utah, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee.

They stood by as Confederate flags were brandished, and a speaker said it was time for Barack Obama to stop obeying the Muslim faith, and to resign from the Presidency!

What a spectacle it was, with National Park police called out in riot gear, in case the demonstration became unruly or worse.

These three demagogues—Cruz, Lee, and Palin—who are destroying the Republican brand with their fight to undermine the federal government, blamed Obama for the shutdown of the federal government, rather than Cruz and Lee taking responsibility for encouraging House Tea Party Republicans to do what everyone knows they provoked, intimidating Speaker John Boehner into what has become a disaster for the Republican Party brand!

By appearing with these Confederate, secessionist, states rights riight wingers, they are encouraging violent insurrection against the government, and poisoning the atmosphere for peaceful resolution of differences, and also undermining respect for the office of the Presidency!

Republican leadership—much more than Senator John McCain of Arizona and Congressman Peter King of New York—must speak up and denounce these tactics, or the GOP is totally doomed as a major political party for the long run!

House Republicans Are Wreaking Havoc On The Economy, Equivalent Of Sedition!

Ronald 8 Comments

The House of Representatives Republican majority has become a party committing sedition, undermining the economic stability and security of America, and they will never be able to recover from this, as they face repudiation by all sensible Americans! 70 percent oppose the government shutdown, and only 24 percent now perceive the Republican Party in a favorable light, and only 17 percent see Speaker of the House John Boehner in a positive fashion!

With the government shutdown nearing two weeks, we are seeing many desperate people who have no paycheck forthcoming; businesses that are going bankrupt for lack of customers at national parks and monuments and other government buildings that bring millions of tourists annually; undermining of our ability to be prepared for bad weather, disease outbreaks, monitoring of food and drug imports; and so many other manifestations of what has become a total disaster!

The House GOP has also undermined any respect for our government, and sowed hatred toward our President, putting him in greater danger of assassination by their poisonous condemnations of everything emanating from the White House since January 20, 2009!

And the Senate and Gubernatorial Republicans do not get a free ride from guilt in this mess, as they have shown no concern for the effect on ordinary people by their insensitive, uncaring statements and policies!

And the Tea Party Movement and its heroes—Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and even Marco Rubio–are scarred by their reckless, seditious behavior—and their future dreams of the White House are guaranteed to fail, without any doubt!

The likelihood is that the Tea Party lunatics will break with the GOP, which is the only hope for the revival of the Republican Party, but will benefit the Democratic Party for years to come!

Barack Obama is totally correct in refusing a six week extension of the debt ceiling, without an ending of the government shutdown immediately! And the irony that the six week extension would end on November 22, the 50th Anniversary of the John F. Kennedy Assassination, is totally reprehensible!

Only 18 Moderate Conservative Republicans Needed To End Government Shutdown If Discharge Petition Is Utilized

Ronald 5 Comments

There are 200 Democrats in the House of Representatives, and it is clear that more than 18 Republican moderate conservatives in the House are ready to end the government shutdown, nearing the end of its first week, undermining economic recovery and putting the security of the US itself in danger.

All that has to be done is for a discharge petition on opening up the government to be introduced and gain 218 votes, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, MUST call for a vote, and the stalemate would end.

And the same applies for the need to raise the debt limit, that a small number of responsible Republicans, willing to do the right thing, but endangering their seats, join with Democrats to force a vote to overcome the reckless, anarchistic Tea Party radicals, who have no concern over anything, but undermining government, which they hate with a passion.

It is time for these responsible Republicans, who are disgusted with what their party has become, and knowing its future as a serious opposition is in danger, to work with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats to resolve this crisis, and repudiate the irresponsible stand of Speaker Boehner.

And by so doing, Boehner avoids blame from the far right, and would be likely to keep his Speakership, for all that it is worth, which is not much at all, with his loss of stature and prestige as a serious leader of Congress!

The aim must be to insure his defeat for his House seat in 2014, just as Democratic Speaker Tom Foley lost his seat in Washington State in 1994!

Speaker John Boehner Putting Himself Ahead Of National Interest, And Will Go Down In History As Worst Speaker In Last Century!

Ronald 8 Comments

It is time to face facts!

Speaker of the House John Boehner will go down in history as the worst Speaker in the last century, if not ever, as he refuses to do what is the right thing to do–pass a continuing resolution, with support of reasonable Republicans and opposition Democrats, to reopen the government, and stop trying to destroy ObamaCare, a law that has been held constitutional by the Supreme Court!

Boehner has allowed the 40 or so Tea Party Republicans to hold him, and the nation, hostage, and the effect will be to undermine the government and the economy long term!

Boehner so wants to remain Speaker, that he is willing to destroy the nation’s stability and security to do so, and his lack of patriotism, to do what must be done, whether it affects him in a negative fashion or not, shows how self centered, uncaring, and ill equipped he is to be two heartbeats away from the Presidency under the Presidential Succession Act of 1947!

Effectively, Boehner is promoting anarchism, a loss of faith in the purposes of government on the part of the American people, and undermining all hopes for an economic recovery, and his name in history will be seen as a dark moment of lack of courage and principle, in favor of personal ambition and ego and greed!

Ironically, he will be deposed for sure by the Tea Party Movement, which is using him for their own aggrandizement, and he does not see it coming, which demonstrates how stupid a man he really is!

Boehner will be portrayed in history as on a list of true villains, who undermined the nation they were sworn to serve!

Criminal That 800,000 Federal Workers Are Not Being Paid, While Congress Is Paid During Shutdown!

Ronald 7 Comments

The Republican Party loves to attack the federal work force, showing no respect for their services, and always ready to cut the workforce, as if those who work for the numerous government agencies are insignificant,. In actuality, the American people have no clue, and lack appreciation of, the sacrifices of the federal government workers. Without their services, we would all suffer, as they do essential work in more ways than anyone understands!

Part of the lack of respect for federal workers that Republicans have is the decision to shut down the government over ObamaCare, a law in effect for three and a half years, and upheld by the Supreme Court.

So Congress collects its inflated salaries, while federal workers are told to go without, when they have bills like the rest of us, and are now being punished without any certainty as to when they will be paid again, and whether or not, they will be paid for the forced furlough from work, forced on them by Republican intransigence!

Not only should the shutdown end NOW, but there MUST be a guarantee that all federal workers will be paid full back pay, and the Republicans in Congress should have to donate their own salaries in a mandatory manner, to give each federal worker a bonus payment for the suffering he or she has had to bear because of the outrageous decision to shut down the government by Speaker John Boehner!

The Reign Of Terror Of Ted Cruz And Tea Party House Republicans: Time For Adults To Take Over From Children!

Ronald 1 Comment

The nation has had enough of the Reign of Terror of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and 35-40 Tea Party House Republicans!

It is time for the adults to take over from the children!

It is time for the Republicans in the Senate, minus Cruz, Mike Lee, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, James Inhofe and a few others, to declare war on their reckless Senate colleagues and put them in their place once and for all!

It is time for John Boehner to show “cajones” and stop the destruction of American government for which he should be held accountable by the American people!

And it is time for Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader, with greed and ambition waiting to replace Boehner, as the secret brains behind the House Tea Party Republicans, to be condemned by all sane Republicans, almost 200 of them, as having lost all credibility as a leader of their party in the lower chamber!

It is time for responsible moderate conservative Republicans to take hold of their party! When one loses one house of Congress, loses the White House, loses the majority of the Supreme Court, and the vast majority of their office holders, including Governors, accept that ObamaCare is here to stay, it is time to stop acting as hostage takers, and as anarchists!