John Boehner sold out America last week. Sold out his party. Sold out conservatives. Sold out libertarian leaners. Sold out disaffected populists who voted and hoped for something different and better from Republicans.
Boehner became the proud daddy of Obama’s obscene federal budget and also tied the new majority’s hands in fighting the worst abuses of the worst administration in US history.
Speaker Boehner joined forces with President Obama and outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to push through the House—barely--an omnibus continuing resolution that locks America into its current bloated budget and liberal priorities through next year. He dumped the 1,600 page monstrosity on the House just a few days before the vote. He ignored conservative pleas to pass a short term resolution and allow the new Republican Congress to take up the annual budget resolutions. He denied member the ability to offer amendments.
Boehner ramrodded a process of secrecy and haste that blocked debate and deliberation His move maximizes his own power and neuters the role of 435 elected members of Congress. He rode the vote of the repudiated outgoing Congress and its dozens of ousted members. He preempted the voice of incoming members that Americans elected just weeks ago.
Now that we’ve passed the bill, we get to find out what’s in it. With friends like John Boehner, who needs enemies like Nancy Pelosi?
Whatever is in cromnibus, President Obama wanted it to pass. He sent his Chief of Staff to Capitol Hill to lobby wavering Democrats. Something is wrong with this picture. The Republican Speaker of the House lost 76 of the most conservative votes in his caucus, and got bailed out by Barack Obama whipping Democrats to take up the slack.
John Boehner, what were you thinking? What constituency do you lead? What message do you think voters sent on November 4th?
Americans spoke loud and clear. They rendered a vote of no confidence in the federal government headed by Barack Obama. They hired Republicans to check the president’s abusive agenda.
Mr. Speaker, you had momentum and public leverage going into this lame session.
Why would you cede the budget for the next year—half of the next two years of Republican majority--to the Obama/Reid agenda?
Mr. Speaker, your party would take control of the power purse in just over a month. Is there a reason you offered a year of budget approval to the biggest spenders in the history of the known universe?
Mr. Speaker, is there a single principled or strategic reason you didn't just offer a two month continuing resolution and then take up the fight with a majority?
Mr. Speaker, do you have any excuse for foisting a last minute trillion dollar budget on lawmakers, let alone the voting public that had no had time to absorb a line, let alone 1,600 pages?
Mr. Speaker, this capitulation is worse than just rubberstamping ruinous spending. You threw away Congress’s most potent tool for oversight, the power of the purse. Thanks to you, Congress doesn’t even carry a knife into Obama’s shooting war.
For generations, Congress has exercised the prerogative to defund executive functions it abhors. Not this year. From the IRS to the Justice Department to the EPA to Energy and all the rest, every petty tyrant who stretches or breaks the law to persecute and harass Americans and their employers just got a one-year pass. You gave it to them, Mr. Speaker. For half of this historic Congress, for half of the rest of Obama’s term, Republicans will be powerless to choke corrupt, abusive, or unlawful doings in the Obama administration.
No wonder, Mr. Speaker, the President had your back and helped push his bloated goody bag across the finish line. You just flipped the bird at Americans who voted for change. At the Republican base who worked and fought and hoped for a cleaner, more transparent and honest government.
Mr. Speaker, do you have a clue about the reform movement on the ground--the people who want to have a bleeping clue and voice of input into what their government is doing BEFORE it does it? Like allowing time for laws and national budgets to be reviewed? There’s no way your members could absorb and deliberate 1,600 pages in a few days.
Mr. Speaker, do you know how revolted, disgusted, and discouraged so many of us will be when all your corrupt, favor seeking pork and deals are discovered in the post-mortem?
Mr. Speaker, at long last, have you shamelessly learned nothing? Are you just the reincarnation of Tom DeLay making whatever deals you think will bring in a few more dollars for the next cycle?
Republican members of Congress, is this all we can expect from you? Will no one take on the Lords of the status quo? Will no one risk their career, their cushy seat, their upward mobility to do the right thing and assault this corrupt fortress?