Free Republic

"It's true that allowing America to default would be irresponsible," House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) told the New York Economic Club this week. "But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt ceiling without simultaneously taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process." Could it be that Boehner has drawn a line in the sand over increasing the debt limit and that Republicans will rally to the cause? Yeah, it'd be nice, but we're not betting on it. The speaker certainly appeared to be serious. "To increase the debt limit without simultaneously addressing the drivers of...

Pence: Boehner ‘Fought the Good Fight’ By Robert Costa Rep. Mike Pence (R., Ind.) was one of 59 Republicans who voted against the Boehner-White House spending agreement this afternoon. However, in an interview in the speaker’s lobby, he defended House GOP leaders for how they handled the ‘continuing resolution’ to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year. Pence tells National Review Online that he remains sour about the deal’s specifics, but not about House Speaker John Boehner.“I think Speaker John Boehner fought the good fight,” he says. “I think he drove a hard bargain.” Noting how Democrats...

John Boehner, Birther?That is a headline we will never see. Yet, John Boehner has it within his power to solve the Birther Mysteries. Ever responsive to constituent clamor, or so he claims, he also has a perfect reason for doing so. All he needs to do is convene a Congressional Committee to inquire into several issues:(1) The Birth Certificate(2)The "Legal Name" Issue(3)The Illinois Bar Issues(4)The Illegal Campaign Lottery Issue(5)The Lt. Col. Lakin Issue(6) etc. ad inf. None of these issues are particularly far-fetched as grist for the mills of congressional investigation, and that investigation would have, as all have had...

Mr President, The current budget negotiations are at an impasse. The Republican party has controlled the House of Representatives since January 2011 and has done everything possible to pass a budget for 2011. Because the Democrat controlled House and Senate did not think it was a priority to pass a 2011 budget on time, we aren't making it a priority either. We will continue work on our 2012 budget and have it ready on time. The government of the USA is now shutdown, and will remain shutdown for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. Have a nice day.

As the budget process unfolds on Capitol Hill, with the prospect of a government shutdown, It has become increasingly apparent that the GOP leadership in Congress lacks the will to fight. Congress is an inherently cowardly institution, but many in the TEA Party (and no doubt Sarah Palin) had hoped that the immense landslide of November 2010 would stiffen the spines of the John Boehner, Eric Cantor and the GOP leaders in Congress. After all, it was the GOP, not the Democrats who received a MANDATE and that mandate was to enact deep spending cuts, along the lines of the...

A national tea party group is in revolt against House Speaker John Boehner and wants to see him defeated in a 2012 primary, arguing that he looks “like a fool” in the debate over spending cuts and makes less sense than actor Charlie Sheen. “You look like a fool,” Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips wrote in a post on the group’s website, directing his message at the Ohio Republican. “Charlie Sheen is now making more sense than John Boehner.” Boehner “did not get the message” from the tea party movement demanding big cuts to federal spending, Phillips said, and...

Via Greg Hengler, behold as the master of the weepy celebrity confessional interview, who’s been turning emotional problems into “news” for decades, suddenly discovers how off-putting tears can be. She’s right that there’s a different standard for crying when women politicians do it, but I’m not so sure that that difference benefits men. If Pelosi cried, she’d risk being branded as “soft” but she’d still be well within the bounds of acceptable female emotional display. Hillary’s tears just before the 2008 New Hampshire primary were a media sensation, but she suffered no real damage from it; on the contrary, some...

After his wife told CBS' Leslie Stahl how much of a journey it has been for the family that her husband John Boehner went from nighttime janitor to Speaker of the House, the Congressman began to cry. "You know what's happening over here," Stahl said, pointing at Boehner while tears begin to form. "What set you off that time," a perplexed Stahl quizzed Boehner. "He cries all the time?" Stahl asked in complete wonderment. "He's gone from mopping this floor (points to floor) to being Speaker of the House," Stahl said while Boehner was holding back tears. "Welcome to America,"...

Not that I would watch the show 60 minutes but....Geez they have a segment with Boehner tonight and he's CRYING AGAIN! What's with this guy! I was hoping we would get a Speaker that was a FIGHTER. Is it too late to take a recount? I would take Bauchman in a second......

Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) received high marks Sunday from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who said that so far, Boehner is "avoiding most of my mistakes." Gingrich was swept in as Speaker after the Republican wave of 1994 put the GOP back in the majority in the House for the first time in 40 years. On "Fox News Sunday," Gingrich said Boehner has avoided the same mistakes he made during the transition period in 1993. "I was too aggressive in public relations," he said. "I was too willing to lead with my chin in debating with the president, which I...

Pelosi: Boehner is 'known to cry' By Emily Goodin - 11/19/10 01:18 PM ET Incoming Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said incoming Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is "known to cry." "You know what? He is known to cry. He cries sometimes when we’re having a debate on bills. If I cry, it’s about the personal loss of a friend or something like that. But when it comes to politics — no, I don’t cry. I would never think of crying about any loss of an office, because that’s always a possibility, and if you’re professional, then you deal with it professionally,"...

Just announced on TV. Good, populist move I think. He said he has discussed the issue with security personnel and it will be okay.

Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, the likely incoming speaker of the House, told reporters today he will break with recent tradition and not use a military jet to fly back and forth between Washington D.C. and his district. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., currently travels in an Air Force Gulfstream V, following in the footsteps of her Republican predecessor, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, who used Air Force planes to travel after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Military planes were ruled essential to ensure security of the speaker, who is second in the line to the president, but Boehner said Tuesday...

Hey FReepers? I have just seen Boehner pronouncement about November 2nd. I must recognize, while this guy is a simpathetic fellow, I did not thrust him well, I mean, too much over squared bounds and PC. But I saw this man almost tear-drop over there. This is not weakness, this is PROUD TO BE THERE and be finally able to do something over this situation. I do think you Americans may count on him for the next two years to push hard over democrats. Furthermore, he will now be backed by conservatives like himself.