I'll give him his pragmatism, but that same pragmatism is the reason he lacked the strength to fight the president on issues of spending and immigration. His pragmatic mind never saw it that he was speaker, the lawmaker, the appropriator of funds. The president, the law enforcer, must enforce laws, immigration, budget control, etcetera. When the president failed to do so, the speakers pragmatism led him to think: oh well, what can I possibly do? That's not good enough for millions of American voters who helped give him the speakership, they will be happy to see him go. Just the fact all budget bills have to be passed by congress could've been used very differently.
Every time the speaker tried flaringly to bring about a budget resolution, he gave way to media bias that would hold him responsible for the shutdown, and not the president for his intransigence on spending. The speaker, lacked little will for confrontation, when confrontation was needed. The speaker held little conviction in the power of his chamber, especially when the power of the house was needed most.
He was a decent and good man, this I am not arguing. He just wasn't the right man for this time, the Republican Party needed a leader and he unquestionably failed at that.
Obama has not just given himself power over congress, as well every president who comes after. The founders gave the legislative branch, in my opinion, the most power. Considering it does comprise of a representative from each county of these United States, it would only make sense that 535 men and women held more power than one.
Why didn't Boehner act decisively? Why was there so much doubt, even in his own voice about the success of congressional oversight. A speaker, in another time, used to say "not one bill unless the majority of the majority are in favor." For Bhoener, this failed to ring true, has he consistently found refuge in the democrat minority whenever needed.
I fully comprehend the media will attempt
to turn the people against his decision, but spending money we don't have long enough will turn the people hungry. The president was intransigent, and the speaker failed to expose a president who was unwilling to even negotiate. He held little conviction, it is hard to have the people believe in you and your actions, when you so unconvincingly did. Time and again this speaker had relented and ran to democrats for support to pass through key budget bills. So therefore time and again he left the base out to dry wondering where this country was headed.
The people gave him the house, and than the senate, in agreement with this president and his policies, I believe not. The republicans had landslide, historical victories in 2010 and 14, a rebuke of the presidents policies twice in mid-term, I suppose is the most likely conclusion. Yet, in late January of 2011, the American people got a frightened career politician unsure of what to do next as speaker. I hope the party finds a compromising conservative to fill the heavy shoes of the speakership. As boehner leaves by Octobers end, my biggest concern will be party infighting. The republicans can not be battling a short year before 2016, a united front stands stronger than one fractured.
The republicans need there base first if they are to win any presidential election in 2016. They should not pander to no race no religion, rather principles and values that bind the base together. No need for divisive or offensive language, just facts and a balanced budget with hopes of debt reduction will win them the presidency. The democrats offer nothing but free this or free that or social justice here or social justice there. Always the victims, always looking for pity and a promise vote. Their message is not a winning one for 2016, Rubio has a winning message, only his stance on amnesty remains in question.
To this day, not a single person at the IRS has lost his or her job. To this day, less than a handful have been fired from the VA. Our own brave soldiers were denied care, put on almost year long waiting lists, even for mental illnesses. These are systematic policy failures that begins with the presidentHis lackluster approach, has spread throughout the public sector where now almost every government employee fails to do their job efficiently and effectively. It's the same irrational idea of tenure, we allow those who lack competence to keep jobs because it would be "unethical" to fire them. The VA is and continues to be a huge scandal, yet the president and congress do nothing while our brave are killing themselves at an unthinkable. He had the tools, the constitutional authority to fight back and seek compromise, not complicity and capitulation. For lack of a better word, he failed to reign in a president that needed a lesson on checks and balances.