The LuLac Edition #3032, September 26th, 2015

BOEHNER SAYS GOOD RIDDANCE

Boehner on the cover of Time in 2010. He got the leadership with the big win but at a terrible cost. He was given a radical minority that caused him more harm than good. Talk about a deal with the devil. (Photo: Time Magazine).

Speaker of the House John Boehner beat the members of his own party to the punch by resigning in an unconventional move, Boehner resigned yesterday morning. Boehner strode to the podium singing a Disney song
and you could tell the weight of the world was off him. The last two sessions of Congress were deemed the most unproductive in American history and many people
will try to blame Boehner.
My belief is that when Boehner became speaker he had visions of a type of leadership relationship that Carl Albert had with Richard Nixon, Tip O’Neill had with Ronald Reagan, and Newt Gingrich had with Bill Clinton. But what got in the way was the rigid element of his own party. It is interesting that in his tenure since the Tea Party became a minority force, the last two sessions of Congress have been the least productive of any in history. There is a reason for that and it is not the fact that Boehner didn’t want a deal. He tried a few times with the President but then reneged because of the pressure from the zealots.
If the leaders of the Tea Party think they are going to get their way with a new Speaker, I predict it won’t happen. Even with a new President, the Tea Party is still a minority within a sensible majority. Kevin McCarthy might not be the answer to them after a few days.
What was really sad yesterday was the cheering of members of the GOP when it was announced at a forum that Boehner had resigned. Ted Cruz credited the audience with the fact that the Speaker resigned. Cruz who interfered with Boehner’s leadership and may have been responsible in part should have shut up and take his victory lap. Instead he gloated like a school boy.
Finally if Boehner is at all moved by a place in history, perhaps he should do this. Unencumbered of worrying about losing his job, he should build a coalition with the Senate as well as Democrats in the House and pass an Immigration bill as well as a few things the President wants (but is not anathema to his beliefs) and go for it.
When the history of this political era is written, the people who were the least strident and circumspect will be remembered. The loud rabble will be dispatched to the anonymity that they so truly deserve.

ON THE CRYING

Much has been made of the tears John Boehner made during his tenure at big events. Here’s my take. He was one of a dozen children. There were four to a room and the parents had to sleep on a pull out bed in the living room. At 5AM he swept out a bar every morning. He had humble beginnings and less advantages than I dare say most of the members of Congress. When you come from that background, you are awed at your luck. You think about how bad you family had it, how hard it was to get there. Emotions tell us that this man was real. In another time and era, he may have been a more compassionate leader if he had more sensible and less mean contemporaries.

BARLETTA WEIGHS IN

Congressman Barletta with the Speaker. (Photo: Citizen's Voice).

Congressman Lou Barletta, issued the following statement regarding the retirement of Speaker of the House John Boehner, effective at the end of October:
“I have often said that Speaker Boehner had one of the toughest jobs in politics: trying to maintain order in a chamber with so many strong opinions that head in so many different directions. I know what the old cliché says, but honestly, herding cats would be a lot easier.
“I have not always agreed with the Speaker on every issue, but I always found that he treated people fairly and with respect. He was willing to listen to dissenting points of view and was capable of responding to the concerns of different segments of his caucus. I appreciate that he gave me a prominent voice in House deliberations on immigration policy, and I credit him for joining me in touring the damage in the Susquehanna River Valley in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011. In many ways, Speaker Boehner had an impossible job, in that he was being asked to overcome a Senate that remains an obstacle to House legislation because of its arcane rules, and a White House that dismisses disagreement out of hand. Under the circumstances, I feel he has done a commendable job.
“The Speaker recently became a grandfather for the first time, and I know from personal experience how difficult it is to be away from family for such extended periods of time. There can be no question that he is going out on a high note, as he is responsible for bringing Pope Francis for his historic address Congress this week. As a fellow Catholic, I know how important his faith is to the Speaker, and I am happy he will have the memory of the Holy Father’s visit. I sincerely wish Speaker Boehner well in his life after Congress.
“The Speaker’s retirement naturally means that we must select new leadership in the House. As that process moves forward, I will be carefully considering all of the candidates for all of the positions.”

DO WE NEED CHINA'S HELP??

So this cat that is the President of China is meeting with leaders in our country and they start talking about the issues of cyber hacking. The President, Xi Jinping  says China will be willing to help. Really? 50% of the hacking comes from China. Talk about the fox watching the proverbial hen house.