John Boehner, the new speaker, is a lazy, double-talking shill for corporate interests. So how’s he going to fare with the Tea Party? Matt Taibbi asks readers this question in his 20 January 2011 Rolling Stone feature, “The Crying Shame of John Boehner.” Now, we all know from the top that Rolling Stone is a far-left publication if ever one existed. And Mr.Taibbi is RS’s front-line hatchet man, and a good one at that. Taibbi pulls no punches and calls ‘em as he sees ‘em, if with a heavy-duty left-wing bias.
So what is Matt’s beef with House Speaker Boehner? And just how is Mr. Boehner going to be received by the Tea Party? The short answers are plenty and poorly. Here is a sample of the sort of bee residing in the Taibbi bonnet. You, of course, will want to tear apart “Crying Shame” yourself for the complete unpleasant picture. Mr. Taibbi kicks off the fireworks with, “John Boehner is the ultimate Beltway hack, a man whose unmatched and self-serving skill at political survival has made him, after two decades in Washington, the hairy blue mold on the American congressional sandwich” Matt continues, “The irony is, no one—no one—represents all of these bile-inspiring qualities [the list is long and nastyish] better than John Boehner. His most striking achievement is that there’s a check mark next to his name on virtually every entry on the list of public complaints about Congress.” (Congress currently enjoys a 13% positive Pelosi/Frank generated approval rating.) Lazy is how one former congressional aid describes Boehner’s work ethic.
Mr. Taibbi bellows that when Boehner wasn’t playing golf on some lobbyist’s tab (J.B. went on 180 junkets in one six-year period, most of them golf trips), he was often sleeping in an apartment rented to him by industry pals. Taibbi tells readers that some in Washington look at J.B. as a bloodless partisan, others simply as a clueless yutz. Kinda like looking at a two-choice restaurant menu of pond carp or stewed yak.
In the second half of his essay, Mr. Taibbi gives you the view on J.B. from Ohio Liberty Council top dog Chris Littleton. Jeez, how unpleasant! And Mr. Littleton has a pretty direct slant on Mr. Boehner coming from the same West Chester, Ohio hometown. Chris Littleton’s position as the Tea Party leader in Boehner’s home state is significant. Littleton’s opinion of the Republican establishment couldn’t be lower, according to Taibbi. Littleton got into politics because of unwelcome programs like the Medicare drug benefit bill and No Child Left Behind. Taibbi believes, I think correctly, that the survival of the hack political class that Boehner represents now depends almost entirely on its ability to neutralize grass-roots leaders like Littleton. I am confident that such an effort will go down in flames. No way you are going to put out the raging political prairie fire that is the Tea Party.
To reinforce what I am writing, watch the video of presidential candidate Herman Cain. Does Mr. Cain impress you as the type of gentleman that a John Boehner or Karl Rove is going to be able to push around? Let me tell you, I recently attended the 600-strong Cato Institute policy summit conclave in Naples, Florida. At this well-organized, powerful event’s conclusion, the highly energized and attentive group was advised to check out one Herman Cain as the real deal. Oh Boy! Can you see a Karl Rove or John Boehner or for that matter President Barack Obama holding up to a withering, well-researched blast from Herman Cain? Preposterous.
Mr. Taibbi saves the most unpleasant unpleasantness for last: “Boehner’s irrepressible hackosity is a serious problem for the Republican establishment, which desperately needs a more convincing con man to stave off voter anger on the right.” Nope, it is much too late for that, Matt. No bargains, no deals, no Boehner, no Rove, no neo-cons, no RINOs. Republicans have actually campaigned against the Tea Party. Chris Littleton tells Matt Tabbbi’s readers, “They (Republican leadership) hate us more than they hate the left.” Chris continues, ”The left’s just an enemy. We (the Tea Party) present a legitimate threat to them.”
My conclusion is the same. I say this as an independent. I found the Bush, Carter, and Nixon, Johnson and Clinton administrations nearly as repugnant as I find the Marxist-influenced Obama Administration. I hope I do not get hit by lightening for saying this, but upon reflection and with clenched jaw, I view President Clinton as less destructive than his sorry competition. Dick Young is simply a sour puss that hates every one! I know this will be the conclusion of at least those Americans who view fondly any of the administrations I have listed as stinkers. But fair is fair. I am quite positive on our fellow Americans who actually believe in representing the best interests of their constituents. But when politicians can run for multi terms, they morph into me-me–me, what’s best for little ole’ me.
That is why I am for a one-term constitutional amendment for the whole gang. Thomas Jefferson, unlike Alexander Hamilton, did not view public service as a lifetime endeavor. Jefferson was the strongest proponent of States’ Rights, individual liberty and freedom, and a federal republic form of small central government. I am certain that in Mr. Boehner’s case he has no inkling of what the old master was about, as the pathetic video of J.B. presented below seems to indicate. And as for President Barack Obama, to find such a thoroughly unprepared soul sitting in the Oval Office once occupied by Thomas Jefferson is simply disturbing.
In conclusion, thanks to a lot of spadework by the always entertaining Matt Taibbi, you can develop your own opinion on Speaker Boehner. I hope I have not come across here as picky or unfair. I, like Matt, write about what I see. And while I am certain Mr.Taibbi and I might have a differing opinion on, say, the Paul Krugmans of the world, we have a rather similar opinion on the madly obsolete John Boehner. Read Matt’s excellent essay on the speaker, and get to know both Herman Cain and the real star of Matt’s essay, the head of the Ohio Liberty Council—Chris Littleton.
Warm Regards,
Dick
