Posted on 11/20/2008 9:51:25 AM PST by JSDude1
House Republicans are not shifting to the political right, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told CNSNews.com on Wednesday, just hours after two of the top three GOP leadership spots were won by conservative lawmakers in an internal leadership election.
Members Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Mike Pence (R-Ind.), and John Mica (R-Fla.), however, told CNSNews.com that they think the conference is shifting to the political right.
But Boehner said, No, I dont think its right or left. Its what are the issues Americans are concerned about, and how do we build solutions on our principles? Its not left or right.
Thats minimizing and marginalizing the situation, Boehner told
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
Hey, we will never go anywhere with the attitude that right-wingism is something to be ashamed of, a crzay uncle! You’ve drank the RINO-dung Koolaid.
What is there in rightwing to be ashamed of? Are we wrong? Every time there’s some shift to center, we lose! So many republicans still don’t get it!!
You’re right , no doubt .
I’m just glad that Lungren wasn’t Boehner’s replacement , although I think Bachmann or Pence would have been wonderful alternatives .
Unfortunately the Republicans are bound by the hierarchy pecking order when choosing their leaders ,just like the Dims .
Way to fill the base with confidence, Boehner.
Why did they ever let that POS RINO back into the leadership?
He’s another Trent Lott, his hair gives him away.
Idiot Republicans should have gotten rid of Boehner when they had he chance.
LOL. There’s always been something about him that I didn’t like but couldn’t put my finger on. Maybe that’s it!
I believe the choice this time may actually have rested on some merit.
Grassroots conservatives who are in full pitchfork mode forget that the Dems were able to get almost no legislation passed during this last Congress. They passed all of Bush's requests for war funding. Dems even backed off on drilling.
Probably the GOP members closest to the action see this as somewhat of a success for the right and attributable at least in part to their leader so they re-elected him.
Inside Politics
By Greg Pierce
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
February 9, 1999
Semantical disconnect
Rep. J.C. Watts, Oklahoma Republican and chairman of the GOP House Conference, says he never uses the word “conservative” before black audiences because they tend to view the term as racist.
Mr. Watts, in an interview with USA Today political columnist Richard Benedetto, said part of the GOP “disconnect” with blacks is the party’s careless use of words such as “conservative,” which many Republicans wear as a badge of honor.
Although Mr. Watts is known as a conservative, “I don’t ever use the word,” he said. “It conjures up thoughts to many folks of [Alabama Gov.] George Wallace standing in the doorway of the University of Alabama to block Negroes from entering or [Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene] ‘Bull’ Connor turning police dogs and fire hoses loose on black folks who wanted to sit at a lunch counter to have a hamburger and a cup of coffee.”
I agree. People around here need to calm down.
Boehner doesn’t have the vision I’d like in a house leader, but is a pretty good parliamentarian, and he has been fiesty as the GOP. He’s no RINO either. Definitely not a “go along to get along” guy like Bob Michel.
“Boehner Says House GOP Not Shifting to the Right....”
Most unfortunate...his attitude. The GOP better shift to the right.
BYE Boehner!!
I understand your point and understand that the past two election cycles have seen an unprecedented level of MSM involvement in defeating Republicans. Very tough enviroment.
If Boehner can’t deliver us a winning platform in two years , he will have to step aside , as 2010 should be very favorable to us if we get back to basics .
He can start by simply doing what the Republicans should have done in this past election by making it clear that Republicans have not been the incumbent party for the past 2 years .
RE Yes, I know that he fooled them and lied through his teeth.
I am not promoting Boehner but I agree with you in general. Voters reward the dishonest, cynical, + strategic but the key is demonization of a figure: Newt, GWB, Cheney, and keep the focus on them. If the person says something odd you broadcast your meaning of it. Democrats run as reasonable moderates, but GWB is extreme right wing. See? That’s why voters did not know Pelosi/democrats ran congress. They dont even know how a bill is passed.
The GOP will continue slithering in the same direction they've been heading full throttle since Bush-41: Hard left.
just like to add that Mica is my rep and has been great for us here, very popular
Would love to see Mica take on Martinez in 2010 for the Senate seat....Mica would win over any Dem challenger...something Martinez may not be able to do (esp in the Dems run a pro-American/anti-illegal candidate
That’s very interesting. I have a lot of minorities in a class I teach who I know voted for Obama. Yet most of them are conservative (the way I see and define that). From the few conversations I’ve heard, they see everything very differently. Not wrongly, but differently. We need to understand how to connect with them. Most of my students are fine folks.
Well let me jump in here with a little sarcasm but with essentially an agreement with your, and a few other commenters’, assessment.
I think Boehner is a perfectly positioned head hair away from becoming a D.C. elite if one can get him out of the tanning booth. However, he DID back the pubbie stand on drilling and he does seem to know how the wind is blowing of late.
I think his response to what was obviously a drive-by attempt to pigeon hole him for future misleading and out of context sound bytes....EX-BOEHNER SAYS REPUBLICANS STICKING TO THE LEFT, SAYS THEY ARE THE VALUES OF MODERN DAY AMERICA.
Or some variation thereof.
That being said, Boehner is not trusted by much of the base which is why you see so many Freepers exasperated with the man.
In summary, Boehner is, in my very humble opinion, a man who is more a finger-in-the-wind leader than any die-hard, rock-ribbed conservative.
This is why he is not trusted and regarded with jaundiced eye.
You are probably correct here. Boehner is a whole lot better than that McCain camp moderate from California that was running for his spot. Mike Pence will be running the show...Boehner will be running the ‘message’. Keeping fingers crossed that this is what is going on. Thanks for being a voice of reason in the thread. Many of us are pretty worked up about him since the bail-out(me included).
Agreed. My viewpoint is that the main enemy these days is not RINO's, Dems or even terrorists. The main enemy we face is a lying media whom the public (both left and right...the Mark Foley thing convinced me that the right also is captive to believing a lying media) depends on.
If Boehner cant deliver us a winning platform in two years , he will have to step aside
I don't see Boehner as the only one responsible for "delivering a winning platform". In a difficult environment it's often the House Minority Leader's responsibility only to hold the line to prevent the opposition from advancing. There may be other players out there responsible for delivering a platform.
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