DescentBB

You know, I'm wondering when he made the decision. Yesterday, he was pretty much crying all through the Pope's speech. Maybe he had an epiphany or something?

Honestly I think he's just sick and tired of dealing with the extremist nutjobs who want to hold the entire government hostage for their cause du jour. I wasn't a huge fan of Boehner, but I at least respect the fact that he was stuck with the unenviable task of trying to conduct pragmatic politics while simultaneously holding the teeming mass of wut at bay.

tunnelcat wrote:You know, I'm wondering when he made the decision. Yesterday, he was pretty much crying all through the Pope's speech. Maybe he had an epiphany or something?

he announced the decision yesterday, so likely had been mulling it over for a bit. Essentially, the man sacrificed his career for what he sees as the good of, and the future of, his party. I don't think it will succeed, but we will see if cooler heads prevail.

It sure sounds like it was the Pope who gave Boehner the final impetuous to resign.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... gress.html

as usual the Daily Mail is a steaming pile. Apparently, Boehner had planned this for several weeks(since the threat to challenge his seat), and fully planned to announce on his birtthday in November. Instead, he announced now, as part of a deal to keep the govt open until mid December.

tunnelcat wrote:You know, I'm wondering when he made the decision. Yesterday, he was pretty much crying all through the Pope's speech. Maybe he had an epiphany or something?

Let me put on my much battered tin hat. Remember when Trump had the meeting with the head of the GOP and came away saying he would not form a third party. Back then, knowing the excellent deal making skills Trump has, I wondered what he got in return. Now I know

On a more serious note I think Boehner saw the coming speaker-ship battle and decided to take the easy way out.

Can you blame the guy for wanting to quit? Who would to be the voice of a collective of complete lunatics and morons like that... It is kind of surprising the turnover isn't higher than it is.

Krom wrote:Can you blame the guy for wanting to quit? Who would to be the voice of a collective of complete lunatics and morons like that... It is kind of surprising the turnover isn't higher than it is.

given that he worked for a couple decades to hold the 3rd-highest ranking position in the US Government, stepping down is still a bit shocking. Your logic is sound, but walking away from the Speakership is no small matter. It speaks VOLUMES for the utter dysfunction of the GOP camp that they cannot maintain leadership, nor pass any legislation.

Ummm...the GOP does pass legislation except the President has seen fit to veto their work. By extension, the only dysfunctional people sit in the White House. I mean really, what can you make of the Dems when it is led by a ditsy blond with Barbi ambitions.

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And Obama constantly using vetoes? What, all four times he did it? Bush vetoed three times as many, and even that was well below the average. Neither of them has made a habit of using the power of the veto, and at least in Obama's case he hasn't needed to, because the vast majority of introduced legislation that he most likely would have vetoed didn't have a prayer of getting through both houses of Congress. Especially in the House, the GOP has made a recent career out of wasting everyone's time by continually introducing legislation that's DOA. Just how many times did they vote to overturn the ACA again?

callmeslick wrote:as usual the Daily Mail is a steaming pile. Apparently, Boehner had planned this for several weeks(since the threat to challenge his seat), and fully planned to announce on his birtthday in November. Instead, he announced now, as part of a deal to keep the govt open until mid December.

The Daily Mail was one of the first speculators about it, since they always do that kind of thing, but other news outlets have since followed. Yes, he had planned it originally for his birthday, November 17, but after he met with the Pope and praying and sleeping on things that night, he changed his mind. He revealed quite a bit with his resignation speech. If this comment wasn't from some religious insight, I don't know what else to call it. By the way, I'm not criticizing him for doing it either. Congress has been nothing but a rat hole of animosity and stress for years.

Boehner wrote:"Just yesterday we witnessed the awesome sight of Pope Francis addressing the greatest legislative body in the world, and I hope we would all heed his call to live by the golden rule. This morning, I woke up, and said my prayers … and I said, ‘Today is the day I’m going to do this.’ As simple as that. That’s the code I live by: You do the right things for the right reasons."

Later he intoned:

Boehner wrote:"The pope puts his arm around me and says, 'Please pray for me.' ... Wow."

http://www.newser.com/story/213468/boeh ... -quit.html

http://www.whio.com/news/news/reports-j ... ber/nnncK/

woodchip wrote:Ummm...the GOP does pass legislation except the President has seen fit to veto their work.

If you could, can you find the number of vetoes issued by Obama, and compared to other two-term Presidents? Can you list the number of bills passed in various Congresses(vetoed or not)?