John Boehner Needs To Try Harder

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_05/018091.php


JOHN BOEHNER NEEDS TO TRY HARDER.... When major reports are released, party leaders routinely put out public statements, hoping reporters will pick up on their spin. Sure enough, when new unemployment figures were released this morning, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) quickly released his best pitch. I was curious as to what he'd come up with.

Most of the statement is made up of the usual palaver. Boehner denounces "borrow and spend" ideas, despite the fact that Republicans have embraced "borrow and spend" for years. He insists the approach embraced by the president "isn't helping," though it seems a little premature to draw such a conclusion.

But here's the entertaining part:

"Washington's arrogance must be replaced by a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation to improve job prospects for millions of Americans. Republicans have taken every opportunity to reach out to the President and find areas of agreement. We offered a stimulus bill that created twice the jobs at half the price as the Democrats' bill. Our budget alternative curbed spending, created jobs by cutting taxes, and controlled the debt. And we've proposed legislation to help Americans' rebuild their nest eggs and college savings for their children.

Unfortunately, the Democrats in control of Congress have chosen a go-it-alone approach. It's time for the President and the Democratic leadership in Congress to reverse course and embrace this opportunity for real bipartisan action to help put more Americans back to work."

Let's take these one at a time.

Republicans have "taken every opportunity to reach out" to the president? Actually, that's backwards. Obama has engaged GOP lawmakers, and they've rejected everything he's proposed. That's fine -- it's what the minority party is expected to do -- but let's not pretend otherwise.

The Republicans' stimulus bill would have "created twice the jobs at half the price as the Democrats' bill"? That talking point has been around for a while, but it's wildly wrong. In fact, it's not even close to reality.

GOP lawmakers unveiled a credible "budget alternative"? Actually, their alternative "budget" was a fiasco for the party, and on a substantive level, was completely insane. It was so crazy, about a fifth of Boehner's own Republican caucus voted against it.

Maybe Boehner would have been better off not releasing a statement this morning?

-Steve Benen

[AndyA]

1. Wasn't the Republican's "stimulus bill" basically more tax cuts for the wealthy?

We've had that for 8 years now, and it's resulted in net job losses and the current economy.

Isn't insanity repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result each time? Isn't there a rule in Congress that insane members must step down or something? :shrug:

[babylonsister]

3. That rule sounds super, but think of all the whack jobs it's

never been applied to. Bachmann, for starters. :)

[bdamomma]

7. they really think we have short memories don't they, but they

certainly do.

[opihimoimoi]

2. What is it with these types??? They have a DEATH WISH....wanna kill the Party Much?

Boner is kaput....Truth Reason Sanity has a corrosive efect of BS CRAP and PUB DIRTY TRICKS...

TRS TRUMPS GOP

[LuvNewcastle]

4. I was talking with a friend from Ohio

yesterday and I mentioned Boehner. He said, "Who?" I said, "He's a Congressman from your state. He's the House minority leader." My friend had never heard of him.

[Frustratedlady]

5. Boehner has spent too much time in his tanning bed.

He's done.

[bdamomma]

6. what a liar, he's certainly twisting in the wind.

Republicans have "taken every opportunity to reach out" to the president? Actually, that's backwards.


reach out????? to continually vote against policy bills cause they do not have tax cuts, and thinking only about that one percent, give it break Boehner.

[gratuitous]

8. The GOP offered a stimulus bill?

Was that the numbers bill that didn't have any numbers, or the follow up released on (appropriately enough) All Fools Day?

[DJ13]

9. So its hard for boner?

[STOP_BS]

10. REPUBS R doomed. People want socialism and perido

Repubs are doomed PEOPLE want socialism in this country. We want a president like Obama to take care of us.

Thank God and Obama I had my house mortgage modified with lower price,
and Govt is giving me money so I DON'T HAVE TO WORK HARD, COME ON I LOVE TO SPEND TIME ON THE BEACH.

:) :)

[madrchsod]

11. ....try harder? - try ExtenZe!

[Berry Cool]

12. I was gonna say

the mere combination of the name "Boehner" with "harder" was personally traumatizing to my eyes.