Friday, September 25, 2015

Good Riddance. Begone!

Hallelujah, the crybaby sellout Boehner is resigning!

The combination of another debt limit fight, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, and prospect of another government shutdown tearing his party apart, the GOP just suffered its latest major blow, when news hit that House speaker John Boehner, just 24 hours after getting a visit by none other than the Pope, is folding one last time:
  • BOEHNER TO RESIGN FROM CONGRESS, GIVE UP HOUSE SEAT IN OCT: NYT

I wonder what the Pope said to him? I just looked it up; Cryin' Johnny IS a Roman Catholic. Perhaps the wanton dismemberment and murder of innocent babies came up in the conversation. Perhaps.

This is great news for the honest-to-gawd real conservatives in the House. Now we'll see if they can elect a speaker that has a spine and a pair. Spines and pairs are in short supply in that neck of the woods.


37 comments:

  1. I didn't listen to the address that the Pope gave to congress, but I did see a photo of Boehner sniffling through it. It must have been a dilly!

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  2. Ha! I stopped at Vox's during my morning internet scroll and he has the same headline. I'm sure we're not the only ones doing the Snoopy dance today. :)

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  3. I read the Zero Hedge link - short term it makes it more likely that Boehner will cave on the spending bill.

    Longer term - we'll see who gets elected to the speaker's position.

    Meanwhile - is it just me or is it not strikingly obvious that pontifex is a bolshevik?

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    1. If by "cave" you mean not deleting the Planned Parenthood stipend, then I am for it. I have no affection for PP but ... now is not the time for this fight when a real actual federal budget is on the line for the first time in 7 years. I want federal dollars to be turned off for PP, but first make the Obamster actually sign a real budget. Fight the PP fight next year....which begins in 3 days in federal terms.

      Sadly, there are enough other issues now, stirred up by this wind mill tilting that Congress is again talking about another big whopping fat CR...the fiscal means for no accountability. I don't blame him for quitting, like him or not, he's had his turn at herding cats. It's lose-lose.

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    2. As for the "pontiflex"...add in President Xi and they both have my thanks for making the networks and cable outlets not be all Trump all the time...negative or positive.

      A lot of people decry the big money influence in politics, yet seem to think Trump is different. One question: How is Trump really any different, except that he operates as a one trick pony show? Answer: He’s no different...he is part of the malaise. He was born to it. Had he not gone in to real estate, the field he was born rich in to, he could have built an empire of used car salesmen with his style. He’d be a perfect match.

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    3. I will say this (and this only) for Trump - it's not a trivial thing to inherit capital and grow it substantially. People tend to think it's a free ride, but without substantial business acumen a big fortune becomes a very small fortune very quickly.

      The only way to grow a fortune into a very big fortune is to put it at risk - systematically, intelligently, and bravely. This is true for Mitt Romney and Warren Buffet, and it's true for Donald Trump too.

      He's even monetized his ego. He's a complete ass, and it's part of the brand that earns him licensing fees. So many asses out there just give it away and still nobodies taking... respect!

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    4. I agree with you, lewy. He's very successful and not only in real estate but many other areas. What he revealed today about his tax plan sounds good (although I think people making over $25K should pay something). But it was still short on specifics and why won't he reveal who put it together for him? The two things that bother me the most about him is his thin-skinned petulance (which we have NOW but Trump is even worse than Obama with his inability to rise above slights, real or imagined). That character flaw is dangerous for the CiC and for diplomacy in general. The second major objection I have to Trump is his about face on so many issues. I just don't believe he will follow through on his new-found conservatism. Yes, everyone is entitled to "evolve" on their opinions, but most do that gradually.

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    5. I am in total support of ending the death tax. Once and for all.

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  4. My apologies to the Trump supporters here, but the man really does remind me of a used car salesman. Anyone but me bothered by his junior high school facial expressions during the debates & appearances so far? By his v-e-r-y obvious distaste for women in any semblance of power? By his inclination to personally denigrate anyone who questions him? (such as Rubio) By his manner of telling anyone who will listen “don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it” with few if any shreds of a plan? By his “I like Mexicans (so long as they know their place meme)?”

    I am still waiting for him to lay out any specifics. All blather so far.

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  5. Had he not gone in to real estate, the field he was born rich in to, he could have built an empire of used car salesmen with his style. He’d be a perfect match.

    Hear, hear. I can't believe he's still around. He got booed when he started name-calling Rubio yesterday in front of the Values Voters people. Honest to God, I can't believe the guy is still polling this high. It's sad that Scott Walker, a terrific conservative who has battled the public-sector unions - and won, twice! - in his state as well as creating other fiscal advantages to WI, had to drop out because of his low numbers. I guess he wasn't bombastic enough. It didn't help that he only got two questions during the entire Trump vs Every Other Candidate food fight. I understand people having had their FILL of politi-speak. I'm one of them, Dr. Carson also speaks his mind but he doesn't have to shout and insult people. Honestly, if Trump becomes the candidate, I may have to seriously consider sitting out the 2016 election for the first time in my life.

    As to John Boehner, I'm glad he stepped down as I too think the split in the House wasn't good for the party. Of course, he did often try to include the concerns of the Tea Party and conservative factions in House business as opposed to Mitch McConnell. I would LOVE to see Louie Gohmert as speaker but I suppose there's not much chance of that.

    Earlier this week when Trump said he's no longer going to appear on FNC I laughed. They've given him tons of air-time that the other candidates can only dream of! At least he's sticking with his petulant, thin-skilled persona, I tried to give him an honest unbiased shake during his last big public appearance in Dallas. I listened carefully. I heard him tear down a bunch of people, "I'm rich, it's going to be great, we're going to win so much", etc., etc. Never any specifics.

    I loved how he handled Jorge Ramos. I didn't care that Trump failed to defend Obama after that obvious plant said he was Muslim and not an American. I enjoy some of his aggressiveness and ego. But president? Are you kidding me???

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    1. Trump's animosity for FNC is STILL founded on his petulant spat with Megyn Kelly...since FNC didn't can Kelly, he's put out. Fact is it wasn't Kelly who asked him the question he reacted to...but she's a woman so what the heck?

      The guy is a train wreck looking for a place to pile up. Sorry...I cannot take him seriously, however many platitudes he utters. He criticizes the moneyed classes, while being the penultimate example of them. I have this nice 249K mile 1954 Chevy for sale...it'll be perfect for you, trust me :-)

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    2. Yeah, Lewy...old Trumpster does seem to like his arm candy. Trump's "tax plan" is to be "revealed" today, purportedly to tax the rich, etc...right, he's rich, so that idea has the same veracity as the tooth fairy. He talks about a "zero tax rate" for the poor...but, hey, the poor already don't pay taxes to any extent vis a vis income. So where's the difference? I am off to check under my pillow for a gift!

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    3. Not only do the "poor" not pay income tax, but they receive a federal handout each year. It irks me to no end when I hear "poor" people talking about their "tax refund" check. Um...if you don't pay anything, it's not a refund. It's income redistribution. I don't blame them for taking advantage of the system; who wouldn't? But hey, call a spade a spade.

      As for Trump? I'm loving how he's ruffling so many feathers. I have a big bowl of popcorn, and I'm enjoying the show. :))

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    4. "Um...if you don't pay anything, it's not a refund. It's income redistribution."

      Hear, hear. lady red.

      "I am off to check under my pillow for a gift!"

      LMAO!

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    5. I have no doubt that Trump's tax plan will be more sensible than the status quo.

      This is because beating the status quo is such an incredibly low bar.

      Party on, Donald! Indeed, ruffle the feathers and stay fabulous!

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    6. Trump is a phony conservative. He represents the establishment, he IS the establishment huckstering at his best, that he now decries...and no amount of "plans" he proposes will ever see the light of day. He constantly yammers on about how he's using his money...establishment money however you slice it. He'd make P.T. Barnum proud...figuratively at least.

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  6. One last thing :-)

    I was reading in The Hill yesterday how conservatives in the House support Kevin McCarthy to replace Boehner. Srsly? I honestly thought I was reading The Onion. If they make McCarthy the speaker it would be a huge mistake. HUGE. Anybody remember Eric Cantor?

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    1. I regret I no longer care who the Republicans elect as Speaker, or the Democrats either (they proved their idiocy by making Harry Reid the Senate leader & Pelosi the House leader), they all seek failure not a remedy of anything. Gawd hep us.

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    2. As said above, I've really lost interest in DC pols. That's counter productive I know. Your comment made me ask: What is wrong with McCarthy? I seriously do not know anything about the man...but I'l listen.

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    3. Truth be told the only Congressional Representative I pay attention to now and then is Candice Miller (R-MI) who is a representative I've had a bit of contact with (answering her written Congressional Inquires" while with DOD & DA). She always struck me a a forthright Congresswoman who advocates for her constituency....hence the inquires when she felt her constituents weren't being served properly and money she'd sponsored was possibly being misused. However, I do not know enough about her to know if she'd be a candidate for Speaker or even want to be one. I just was impressed with her straightforward representational style...and I always tried hard to accommodate her requests, since they usually involved funds she'd sponsored that were being diverted, and that's one of my pet peeves from my time with DOD...e.g., I appreciated the formal help in an organization that required responses within 72 hours.

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    4. Oops...forgot to add my reason for gratitude for the "help." All written responses to Congressional Inquiry are reviewed and seen by several senior echelons of federal management, especially DOD ( to make dang sure you DID respond on time and topic)...e.g., she gave me exposure I'd not otherwise have had for issues that bothered me as well...and I didn't have to go all clandestine and blow a whistle.

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    5. As I type Congress is preparing another, in a long 7 year line, CR since some Republicans cannot think strategically and let the fight over PP be next fiscal year, which is but one day away now. I'd really hoped for once in over a half decade we could have put a real bi-partisan appropriation budget on Obama's desk. Sadly it's not to be...even if he'd veto it for other reasons (his hubris is all powerful)...at least both houses wold have "done" something and the onus would be on him.

      I've reached the point where it all seems like Kabuki Theater to me. The unaccountable squandering of fund transfers will continue now under another CR. By mid-year, expect another CRomnibus" with sundry add ons to by-pass the 95% prior period limitations...everything will still be a mixed mis-mash of soup.

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    6. Aridog, I would say there's nothing really wrong with him except that he's Boehner Jr., only not as experienced. He was Boehner's protegee, like Cantor before him. I believe he's firmly entrenched in the good ol' boy network but I hope he proves me wrong. I knew Gohmert had no chance but I would have been very happy with Paul Ryan, I think he's terrific, but he's taken himself out of the running.

      Perhaps it doesn't matter. I know the chance of an outsider to shake things up becoming speaker is slim. I don't know why I still hold out a sliver of hope to have things change in government. Maybe that's just not possible.

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    7. Very good words about the CR. It makes me ill that they have not significantly cut spending anywhere.

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  7. Off topic, but where else to put it? There's a great hullabaloo about the Russians in Syria. Yeah, so? They're supporting a state leader they've been in bed with for years...and you expected what? Yep, they're fighting (first) the "Free Syrian Army"...a direct threat to Assad....you expected what? For one I don't believe a real "Free Syrian Army" exists...it is a weak effort at taqiyah...e.g., ISIL by any other name...funny how the majority of military age men who could support the FSA are those fleeing north to Europe, eh....not interested in fighting for their own nation. Next it is amazing how much equipment and arms we provide our "allied" forces that almost over night turns up in opposition hands...after the "allies" drop them and flee. How often do we need to see this before it dawns on us? We spent some $45 Million training 50 odd FSA fighters, only 10 of which can be accounted for...the others either fled, are dead, or most likely happily in the ranks of ISIL...with all their gear. Give the FSA air-defense capability...right, why not just hand it over to ISIL.

    Syria is a mess and even Syrian men who should give a damn do not and flee northward. Assad is a brute, but so are many other of our allied leaders. Big whoop. Let the Russians dig a deep hole in Syria, since once they demolish the FSA they will have ISIL at their doorstep. Somewhere along that line the Russians will figure out the ME is tribal with almost irreconcilable sectarian differences. WE did what had to be done in Afghanistan, and should have then left. Same for Iraq in Kuwait, not as if the Kuwaitis are grateful one bit. Iraq 2003 was a mistake, but an honest one...intelligence reports really did say they had or were developing WMD and I know men deployed there who found the chemical & biological variety in quantity....they are intelligence & engineer operators who knew what they uncovered....still jumping in with both feet was a mistake because of the morass it created in a country that even today various tribes/religious sectors hate each other as much as anyone else.

    Time for us to stop digging in that hole, let the Russians do it....with I suspect the same success they had for 10 years in Afghanistan. If we just bomb snot out of some ISIL folks, do it in Iraq and wherever else they pop up...the Russians will be heavily preoccupied in Syria. I think I've reached that point where I just want to drop out, like my hippie brethren from the 60's...that or I'm turning in to a girl in my old age. I've had enough and my time in war taught me well what works and what does not.

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    1. Kerry said we need to have a "deconfliction discussion", WTF? He's sounding and looking more like Lurch every day. I was more concerned with the disdain and dismissal shown to us by the Russians. I don't feel as worried after reading your take on it, Aridog. Syria is just such a mess, do we really want to get more involved? It seems like the only people we've trained who stay to fight are the Afghans, and there have even been huge problems with them (wasn't it one of our Afghan trained security guys who killed the general in Kabul?). I was also taken aback to hear Ash Carter talk about the CR and DoD funding after a few perfunctory words about the Russian's latest moves in Syria.

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    2. I also think Putin is happy to drive more "refugees" into Europe.

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    3. Nothing temporarily joins the various tribes and sectarian groups together more than western intervention...all the actors play nice until we start to withdraw and then they pop up all over again. I cite Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, etc...only Egypt has overthrown militarily the fanatic Islamists themselves, and we criticize them for doing it. Say what?

      We do not have the capability to do all this anymore, as I cited about how hard it is for us to deploy any major forces (that is no joke...it is the design of administrations past and present) anywhere. We have the toughest military but it is shackled to contractors now...a lose-lose set-up.

      Furthermore, we do NOT have the money to do so either....and a debt that is rapidly going out of any vestige of control.

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  8. Back to our regularly scheduled programming...the CR is still being debated on the floors of Congress. How impotent can be become? Less than 24 hours to go and it is FY 2016. Congress has had a budget to resolve since April...I know that because I helped prepare my unit's portion of it for years...so why the last minute shenanigans? Every dang year for 7 running now?

    If someone can explain this all to me, please do...I'll sleep better.

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  9. It's being reported the CR has been approved...and that Obamster will sign it. Hooray for more muddled spending accountability. We continue to operate like a banana republic.

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    1. How can we operate like anything else? We ARE a banana republic. It's beyond fixing.

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    2. Lady Red ... I am fearful that we cannot continue this charade & risk becoming an autocracy. A do-nothing Congress is part of the problem...that and when they try something it is usually poor strategically...like this squabble over Planned Parenthood with 3 days left before a new budget was due (today)....rather than get a real budget passed and fight the PP issues in 2016. When Republicans divide themselves they lose.

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    3. "When Republicans divide themselves they lose."

      Every time.

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    4. Add to all the issues, the muddle head in the White House. Is it possible that anyone could lead less than that guy? This time around both he and Kerry sound truly surprised, vis a vis Syria, and blather on about "de-confrontation" (??) or whatever. Holy smoke...can we survive 15 more months of this clown? Next thing you know the Russians will have troops in Boston and an airbase in Buffalo. I suppose we can "de-confront" that as well ... sigh.

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    5. Minor correction: earlier I said "de-confrontation" when the official non-word is "de-confliction"...but hey I get to invent new words too, eh :-)

      I've spent a relatively short time at the point of the spear and I never thought "de-confliction" was much of a defense against bullets. But it is an interesting if nonsense construction....when a leader has no real plan for anything nut next weeks golf game...or whatever inane activity du jour. Yeh I erred by using "de-confrontation" but exactly how it that different? Very simply...it isn't.

      Now let's see him try to "de-conflict" two air superiority fighter jets moving toward each other at 600 mph plus.

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