Thursday, January 06, 2011
John Boehner's speech
For those of you who missed it yesterday, perhaps because you were adding to GDP or on an airplane or both, here is John Boehner's widely lauded opening address upon becoming the Speaker of the House. Libertarian conservative Roger Simon:
Like much of the world that doesn’t live Inside the Beltway, I was only marginally aware of John Boehner until some months ago when it was becoming clear he might be the next Speaker. And even then I wasn’t impressed. The man-tan look made me assume he was just another shallow pol.
I was wrong. As of now, I have done a total about-face. In his speech today, John Boehner showed himself to be among the most impressive figures on our political landscape, and he did it by being that rarest of things in politics: a humble human being.
Liberal Ezra Klein:
It was, I think, as smart a speech as I've seen a politician give -- in part because it was savvy about what it didn't say, which is a rare virtue in Washington.
13 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Jan 06, 11:21:00 AM:
***
I pray that John Boehner meant every word he said. And that he will work to make it happen.
***
Rocketman
***
By , at
Thu Jan 06, 01:40:00 PM:
For someone who spends a lot of time looking into the camera and asking "where are the jobs?" Boehner didn't even mention the word "jobs" in his entire speech. Strange
By 
victoria, at
Thu Jan 06, 02:06:00 PM:
I know, faux humility is always welcomed by the righties. Think of Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney and their "just folks" attitude. Please, the day that Romney or any of the Bush's had a "just folks" day was probably the day they were born. Boehner has been part of the D.C landscape for a long time and, despite his "just folks" attitude, he is an insider. Hopefully he will do something right, or should i say, correct.
By , at
Thu Jan 06, 02:57:00 PM:
Long time readers here know that I'm a big fan of Boehner.
That he chokes up and even cries isn't unmanly, I submit. It's driven by the same emotions that drives me to post here. Sometimes its overwhelming.
He's our Batman. Paul Ryan will play Robin.
God Bless America.
By Dawnfire82, at
Thu Jan 06, 04:10:00 PM:
"I know, faux humility is always welcomed by the righties."
Faux, huh? Can you prove that, or do you simply assume it so that you can disparage your ideological opponents without having to give any credence to what they say?
Never mind, we all know the answer. We've all dealt with liberals before.
By , at
Thu Jan 06, 06:25:00 PM:
That he chokes up and even cries isn't unmanly
Once maybe but good grief he cried three times on a 60 Minutes segment! I bet he cries when he gets in the elevator.
Can you imagine if Nancy Pelosi started weeping when she was interviewed by Morely Safer? Or after she was elected Speaker of the House? Please. She'd never live it down.
Seriously, what would do with a co-worked that couldn't control his tears?
By victoria, at
Thu Jan 06, 07:01:00 PM:
It's funny, the last thing about him that I don't like is the fact that he tears up. Crying isn't unmanly. If you are a cave man, maybe.Or an unenlightened male. Oh, BTW, that little exercise in democracy, the reading of the Constitution cost us about $1,000,000. I still think it was worth it.
Vicki
By , at
Thu Jan 06, 07:40:00 PM:
Ignoramus loves "boner"
Heh heh a heh
By JPMcT, at
Thu Jan 06, 08:05:00 PM:
"that little exercise in democracy, the reading of the Constitution cost us about $1,000,000"
Well, that little exercise in socialism, The Affordable Healthcare Act, which required the last congress to ignore the Constitution, cost us over $1,000,000,000,000 !!!
...and they didn't even read the act!
By , at
Thu Jan 06, 11:46:00 PM:
Ignoramus writes: He's our Batman. Paul Ryan will play Robin
Paul Ryan? You mean the Paul Ryan who voted
-YES on No Child Left Behind,
-YES on section 8 housing vouchers
-YES on Head Start Act
-YES to TARP
-YES to bailout of GM and Chrysler
-YES on $192B Anti-Recession Stimulus Spending bill, H.R.3357 (7/09)
and, wait for it...
-YES on the unfunded Medicare Drug Benefit/Part D bill which added $15 Trillion (present value) to our nation's debt
That Paul Ryan??
*thud*
By , at
Fri Jan 07, 11:04:00 AM:
Yes, that Paul Ryan.
Most of the things you cite were Bush iniatives. I don't like most of them either, but supporting them wasn't out of the Republican mainstream at the time.
By , at
Fri Jan 07, 04:40:00 PM:
John Boehner has true humility, as would anyone with his background story. I'm from Ohio and Boehner had dinner at my family home just a few months ago, as he traveled around Ohio talking with small business owners about what actions to take first if the GOP was given power in the elections shortly to come, and my parents couldn't have been more impressed with him. They said he was soft-spoken, genuine, and very eager to learn which of the many challenges the Obama/Pelosi/Reid regime were most hurtful to small companies and should be repealed with urgency , and which could be taken down once time allowed.
By , at
Fri Jan 07, 06:32:00 PM:
Most of the things you cite were Bush iniatives. I don't like most of them either, but supporting them wasn't out of the Republican mainstream at the time.
Really? You, too, might want to read Article 1 of the Constitution. Congress has the power to make all laws necessary for execution of the constitution. Presidential power does not include the power to legislate.
However, if, as you seemingly imply, Bush managed to twist the voting arms of the two majority-held houses of Congress to pass his massive spending initiatives, what does that say about Mr Ryan, in particular, and Republicans generally?
For the record, Paul Ryan cast the deciding vote on the Medicare Drug Benefit bill.
