Facing only minor opposition within his own party, Rep. John Boehner was easily re-elected to another term as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. However, some recent polls showed that more than sixty percent of Republicans wanted Boehner to resign as leader, believing that the Ohio Republican was ineffective in combating the Obama-Democratic agenda.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with career politicians, Boehner has little concern for the desires and wishes of the Americans he claims to represent, which is why he is single-mindedly pursuing re-election as Speaker of the House.
But what are we to make of the opposition Boehner has faced from Republicans Louis Gohmert and Ted Yoho? Was it merely a symbolic gesture, or something more? Was it a proverbial “shot in the face” from those who were outraged by Boehner’s recent compromises with the Obama administration? An attempt to send a forceful signal to the newly elected speaker that he has been warned?
Many in the so-called “Tea Party wing” of the Republican Party were unhappy with Boehner’s leadership in Congress. Particularly because of his recent compromises, some would call them “concessions” to the Obama administration on government funding and the president’s plans for amnesty for illegal immigrants. Boehner faced very pointed criticism from some of his Republican colleagues.
Many Republicans in Congress and beyond believe that House Speaker Boehner is more interested in preparing for the next election in 2016 than in doing the job that the people asked him to do just last year, in 2014. He avoids anything bold or potentially controversial and passes only “trivial” bills to avoid confrontation with the Obama administration.
Campaigning has been a hallmark of Barack Obama’s presidency. At times, it has seemed as if John Boehner has taken a leaf out of Obama’s playbook, settling for another uncontroversial “road bill” rather than making tough decisions and ultimately passing crucial legislation that would benefit Americans, then patting himself and his allies in Congress on the back, congratulating each other, and going back to what he does best: preaching and achieving tiny results.
Some people say, and in fact many people say, that it is a shame that the career politicians we have on both sides cannot be term-limited. It is the kind of “flushing out the system” that sometimes has to be done with the cesspool to make it work more efficiently and do the job it was designed to do.
Let’s hope that Boehner’s shot in the face, showing him that there is forceful opposition to his method of “leadership” in Congress, will have some impact on how he proceeds over the next two years. And let’s hope that Congress confronts Obama’s agenda and prevents the president from achieving the “fundamental transformation” he desires.
There is a silver lining to Boehner’s re-election. We will all be spared from watching a grown man cry on national television again. I don’t think I could handle that.
