Senator Mitch McConnell has not been real visible or had much to say about actual governance since he became Senate Majority Leader. Someone from the press should get a drink with him so that they could chat about all of the things that are going right and the few things that are going wrong since Republicans took control of congress: or maybe I should say all of the things that are going wrong and the few things that are going right.
Either way, maybe the conversation could start with President Obama’s “Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?” joke. That should break the ice. After all, Senator McConnell didn’t just take it lying down; he struck back at the president with his own empty chair tweet, which showed him in a bar having a beer and a conversation with an empty chair with a glass of red wine on the bar in front of it.
These two men appear to be polar opposites but in order to effectively govern, they – along with Speaker Boehner, are going to have to be amenable to coming together and having reasonable, constructive and meaningful conversation if America is to move forward. Apparently, no one has needed to get a drink with the Speaker to prod him to talk; he has had plenty to say.
Since Republicans took control of congress he has already talked about how the president does not understand that the House circumvented the Administration in inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to address a joint session of congress in order to strengthen the president’s hand in his negotiations with Iran. Further, according to an article in U.S. News & World Report, when asked about funding for the Department of Homeland Security he said “The House did its job…” “Why don’t you go ask the Senate Democrats when they’re going to get off their ass and do something other than to vote no?” And an article in The New York Times by Michael D. Shear and Ashley Parker said that on ‘Fox News Sunday’ Speaker Boehner “signaled that he was willing to let funding for [Department of Homeland Security] lapse – allowing for a shutdown – if the Senate was unable to pass the House’s bill.”
Indeed Speaker Boehner has certainly had plenty to say since Republicans took control of congress but his leadership from the time that he became Speaker has been weak and it still appears to be weak now. Under his leadership the house has voted to repeal Obamacare more than 50 times, members – including him – continue to be condescending toward the president and many in congress continue to question his loyalty to America.
Under Speaker Boehner’s leadership Republicans continue to retrace their tracks and cover the same old ground again and again and again… They seem to be unable to get untracked so that they can cover new ground; ground that badly needs to be covered and cries out for congress’ attention.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Republicans having a difference of opinion with the president as to how the country should be run and loathing how he is conducting its affairs. But to continuously make history by disrespecting him, let alone the office, by questioning his loyalty and right to run the country should be unacceptable to all Americans; it goes beyond the pale.
The question still remains as to who is actually running the House. It is obvious that Speaker Boehner holds the gavel but things are somewhat opaque when it comes to who is in control. Is it the Tea Party caucus or is it Speaker Boehner?
The speaker may still be tethered to establishment Republicans but that also is hard to decipher with the way that things are going. Right now though, it appears that he is somewhat separated from the group and flailing in the wind like a lone flag which is precariously close to being ripped from its mooring, carried away and landing wherever the wind drops it.
If things continue to go the way that they are going now it would not surprise me if the tether line got cut. As to who would be the cutter – Speaker Boehner or establishment Republicans, I don’t know. But I do know who the cuttee (to coin a word) would be: Speaker Boehner!
Eulus Dennis