Oh, how quickly some of us FReepers are willing to reach "instant conclusions" about developing events! At this point, pretty much on the basis of "gossip."
Consider what you have said here, dear brother xzins. You allege that Speaker Boehner willfully engaged in collusion, conspiracy with Obama in a "background deal to betray our side." That side presumably being the cause of conservatism — social, economic, and constitutional.
If I may, I would like to volunteer for the role of devil's advocate here, "devil's advocate" defined as follows:
In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position they do not necessarily agree with (or simply an alternative position from the accepted norm), for the sake of debate or to explore the thought further. In taking this position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative discussion process. The purpose of such a process is typically to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure, and to use such information to either improve or abandon the original, opposing position. It can also refer to someone who takes a stance that is seen as unpopular or unconventional, but is actually another way of arguing a much more conventional stance. The background of this word comes from an official position within the Catholic Church, in which a canon lawyer called the Devil's Advocate, also known as the Promoter of Faith, "argued against the canonization (sainthood) of a candidate in order to uncover any character flaws or misrepresentation evidence favoring canonization."As DA, some thoughts:
(1) Your characterization of Boehner is that he is a man who is both stupid and unprincipled. Not to mention that, by seemingly working with a lawless president, is himself an avid accessory to the promulgation of Evil in American society.
(2) The fact that he is a master of the institutional history, procedures and practice of the U.S. Congress is counted against him: the supposition being that he is manipulating the rules for his own self-aggrandisement, or the aggrandisement of "his" Party that represents nothing but advancing its own political welfare and interests (at great taxpayer expense, of course).
Jeepers, that seems to be quite a leap — a leap encouraged by such political players as Ted Cruz, who seemingly demands "instant redress" for public wrongs — such as Obamacare and Executive Orders relating to immigration. In short, I gather Ted Cruz thinks that what could have been accomplished in less than three weeks absolutely cannot wait until the next Congress is seated — when it would have definite positive strength in terms of sheer numbers as compared with the situation right now.
Don't get me wrong; I find Ted Cruz strongly attractive in his policy analyses and prescriptions. I just find him still "wet behind the ears." He is a political neophyte who has not yet "won his spurs," who has a whole lot left to learn. That is, he needs seasoning before I could regard him as a serious candidate for my vote in the 2016 presidential election. (I could say the same about Rand Paul.)
(3) The thought has occurred to me that Boehner and Obama may be involved in a chess game here. Were that the case, I'd allow that Boehner may be two or three moves ahead of his opponent. Time will tell.
In short, this Devil's Advocate is not willing to throw Boehner under the proverbial bus just yet. Moreoever, I'm glad for a three-week reprise over the Christmas season not to have to think about these things, just now.
We'll know a whole lot more about how matters proceed, beginning with the seating of the next Congress, in January.
One thing I do know, and know that Boehner also knows it, is that any positive law enacted by Congress absolutely trumps any previously enacted Executive Order, rendering it completely Null and Void.
The trick will be to maneuver Obama into vetoing such positive law nullifying his excrescences and usurpations as ersatz POTUS. That would be great fun!!!
So, stay tuned! Be patient!!! Pray often!!!
Thank you so very much for sharing your thoughts, dear brother in Christ!
When Bush had the Presidency and the GOP had the majority in the Senate and the house the conservatives got nothing. Nada.
Boehner is not an astute conservative, he is a dyed in the wool establishment corporatist. He is also a treacherous liar. Don’t try to sugar coat him. He is a poison pill.
People say that the November 4th Midterm results indicated some kind of a voter mandate going forward.
The only "voter mandate" that I see expressed in this election was the mandate "to please stop the suffering" of the American Middle Class occasioned by the Obama Administration and its cohorts in Congress and beyond.
That is hardly a full-blown detailed commitment of the American people to what the GOP might propose as the rectifying alternative to the chaos that has beset our country thanks to our non-president and his administration.
The GOP was given an "edge" in the last election. What they will do with it remains to be seen. But it seems to me they have to come up with an attractive alternative to the way business is conducted in our nation's Capitol. And then they need to persuasively communicate this, particularly to the American Middle Class and their concerns, who are the main victims of Obama's "transformational presidency."
If we can't do that, then "we" are history.
I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude until the new Congress is sworn in. I would rather there had been a short term budget to kick the can down the road for the next Congress, but what's done is done.
How the incoming Congress deals with the various crises - Immigration, Obamacare, Economy - will be telling. Perhaps the passing of this monster will free up time for them to kill Obamacare, etc.