In his opening remarks as the 61st Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner did what he had to do.
He put the country and the president on notice that he takes his responsibilities seriously, that he wants the House to get down to solving the nation’s financial difficulties, and that he believes that “elections have consequences.” Having uttered this latter phrase in his much-publicized meeting with Republican legislators last year, Obama should appreciate the poignancy of all three of these.
For Boehner, they mean keeping promises — and, if you cannot, demonstrating to voters that you did all within your power to do so. That’s why Boehner has made a vote to repeal Obamacare the first order of House business. Should the measure die in the Senate or by presidential veto, Boehner would have made the case that he did all he could, in the absence of votes sending more Republicans to the Senate and electing a Republican president in 2012. He also sends an important message to the president that the way to bipartisan cooperation lies not in prying loose handfuls of Republican votes to pass Democratic measures (as proved the case in the ill-fated “cap and trade” vote a few years back), but through the House Republican leadership.
For the next two years to be productive at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, the president needs to muster up the courage to stand up to his own base so that he and the Speaker can cobble together a plan to cut spending and make headway against a deficit all sides contend is “unsustainable.” With the budget compromise, the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and the ratification of the New START treaty behind him, Obama may have gained sufficient breathing room from his base to be able to meet Boehner half way. He should use this opportunity to work with Congress to grow the American economy and put Americans back to work in private-sector jobs and let pragmatism and common sense and not ideology be his guides.
Whether Obama likes it or not, Boehner has it in his power to give the president a record to run on or make his name the latest to go on a list of “failed” American presidents. The next three months will test both men’s character.
Godspeed John Boehner. Godspeed in reversing the damage caused over the past several years.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRe this sentence: "[Obama] should use this opportunity to work with Congress to grow the American economy and put Americans back to work in private-sector jobs and let pragmatism and common sense and not ideology be his guides."
It's a waste of breath to talk about what Obama "should" do. Sure, he "should" meet Boehner half-way. But it's not going to happen. Anyone who thinks that's even a serious possibility is engaging in the same wishful thinking and projection that put Obama into the White House in 2008.
Without exception, the things Obama has done that I approve of, he's done because to do otherwise would have been political suicide. He's no horse-trader, no moderate, no pragmatist. He doesn't even have Bill Clinton's consummate political ability -- the ability to fake sincerity.
I'm sorry, but the next three months will be a test of power, not character. We shouldn't underestimate Obama's power, and we need to continue to work very diligently to abridge and abrade it. But let's not delude ourselves into expecting good-faith cooperation or good-will or moderation from Barack Obama or, for that matter, anyone remotely connected with the Democratic Party leadership.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBTW, Mr. Felzenberg, I agree with the main premise of your post -- that Boehner's opening remarks were entirely apt -- and I hope I'm wrong in attributing to you a receptiveness to the idea that Barack Obama is genuinely likely to meet Boehner half-way.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy vote on Obamacare now? Why not drag it out over the summer? It's as if he wants to dispense with the issue now, so that they don't have to talk about it for two years...maybe he hopes the issue will go away.
Also, why is there no talk of tieing the debt limit extension to repealing parts of Obamacare?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't want bipartisanship. I want clarity. We missed an opportunity with the tax cuts. Not compromising on the tax cuts would have raised my taxes by 5k a year, but the civic lesson would have been worth it. I am always amazed by the lack of faith Conservatives have in their own philosophy. We don't need to compromise. It only dilutes the message and confuses voters.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI look at Detroit, California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Europe and ask myself why would anyone want to compromise with the type of philosophy that is responsible for this mess.
When you have 2 competing ideas, compromising with a bad idea only elevates the bad idea and diminishes the good idea.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood to see the echo chamber in full effect. Where in the previous two years did the GOP leadership compromise at all with the President? Even when his health care plan is full of Republican ideas (look it up). And why is the President still personally far more popular than any of the GOP leadership?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe fact is Boehner has said his main agenda is stopping the President from getting reelected and not helping the country. That tact, while popular with the rabid right wing base will not be popular with the majority of the country.
Well, Boehner wants to cut $100 billion (sorry, $30 billion). If Obama meets him halfway, we can save $15 billion and avert the inevitable sovereign default / capital flight scenario by a whole DAY!
So much to look forward to with this new Congress!
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