John Boehner Implies He May Step Down As House Speaker
"So I'm living on borrowed time."
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Avatar of Peter Brown F. Peter Brown — May 13, 2014
John Boehner 3 SC
John Boehner won’t say if he will be serving another two years as the House Speaker.
“Listen, I’m going to be 65 years old in November,” Boehner stated. “I’d never thought I’d live to be 60. So I’m living on borrowed time.” In addition to his age, Boehner has had to deal with a large number of rebellious House conservative Republicans. How large a number? According to conservatives involved in the deliberations, 40 to 50 new members have already verbally committed to electing a new Speaker. Conservative organizers say that they could force Boehner to step aside as Speaker in late November, when the incoming GOP conference meets.
Boehner downplayed the dissent coming from Tea Party Republicans. He said the following:
I’m up for reelection, and I expect to be speaker, and this issues comes up from time to time, probably more often than I’d like. I have a very good relationship with my colleagues — on both sides of the aisle.
And even in my own party, even with some people who we have disagreements [with] almost every day, I have a good relationship with them as well. It’s open, it’s honest, and it’s straight-forward. So I look forward to it.
Boehner says he has a “good relationship” with Tea Party members despite the fact that some conservative organizers think they could force Boehner to step down as speaker as early as this November. Even arch-liberal Rachel Maddow said:
And when you look at the evidence, regardless of what you think about the Republicans’ agenda, whether you are for it or against it, I think John Boehner is bad at his job.
Boehner led the House to fully fund Obamacare, has attacked the Tea Party, and supports amnesty for illegal immigrants.
What do you think? Was Boehner a good leader, simply opting out of his Speakership because of old age? Or was he not just motivated by age, but instead by conservatives who wanted to fire him?
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/john-boehner-refuses-promise-another-2-years-speaker/#ogf5rFUTaEEbK5rC.99
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