Yesterday, I watched in disgust as John Boehner became Speaker of the House. Nancy Pelosi handed him the biggest gavel I have ever seen, and quipped that it was the one he had chosen for the occasion. Sigmund Freud chuckled in his grave, and I imagined that Agent Orange has wanted something that big in his hands ever since he was a young man in his family’s bar, wondering why the girls whose numbers were inscribed on the men’s room walls hung up on him alone. Then Boehner started lying. Lets take a look at how some of those promises were broken within hours.
Just hours after taking control of the House, Republicans passed a sweeping set of rules promising transparency and reform.
But the new majority is already showing these promises aren’t exactly set in stone.
After calling for bills to go through a regular committee process, the bill that would repeal the health care law will not go through a single committee. Despite promising a more open amendment process for bills, amendments for the health care repeal will be all but shut down. After calling for a strict committee attendance list to be posted online, Republicans backpedaled and ditched that from the rules. They promised constitutional citations for every bill but have yet to add that language to early bills. (See: GOP backpedals on committee attendance rule)
Republicans say there are subtle reasons for these moves and that they certainly will follow their own rules throughout the 112th Congress. But the hedging on some promises shows just how hard it will be to always match the sharp rhetoric of the campaign with the ugly and complex work of running the House. (See: The era of Speaker Boehner begins)
The promise of full debate in committees, for example, was inspired by Republican complaints that Democrats abused their power in bypassing regular debate. Republicans such as Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and Rules Chairman David Dreier of California all have complained that Democrats in the last Congress didn’t bring a single bill under a process called the open rule — a mechanism that allows for nearly unlimited amendments and debate. None of the bills that will be brought to the floor this week will be brought under open rules. When asked directly whether he would bring the repeal bill to the floor under an open rule, Cantor dodged the question. (See: House to vote on health repeal next week)
“The repeal bill is going to be a very straightforward document,” Cantor said this week. “It is going to reflect what I think most people inside the Beltway and outside the Beltway understand about the health care bill that was passed. It is a job-killing health care bill that spends money we don’t have, and we need to repeal it and replace it with the kind of health care that most Americans expect.”
Regarding the failure to put the constitutional citation into bills, Republicans say that typically will come when a bill hits the floor. The three bills that Republicans plan to introduce this week — one to cut the congressional budget, one to repeal the health care bill and another to instruct House committees to present new health care legislation — were posted on the Rules Committee website with plenty of time for review, but none had the constitutional citation for similar review… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Politico>
I will point out here that there is a valid reason that the Constitutional citations are not in the bills. This morning’s reading of the Constitution in the House may well be the first exposure most Republican legislators have ever had to that document, so that can’t yet cite what they don’t know.
Chris Hayes and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky talk about these lies and more.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
In conclusion, the batch of Republicans that took control of the House have only one difference from that batch that did so in 1994. They are even less competent.
12 Responses to “Boehner Invokes Freud as He Opens with Lies”
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It has been one lie after the other right from step one. I hope the tea partiers get them. The scum have proved again they will say whatever it takes to b4e able to do exactly the opposite. I guess it is safe to say I hate them SOB’s!
Jim, I’ll echo your sentiments, substituting the word oppose. I’d rather leave hate to the Republicans, preferring not to challenge them where they have proven their skill so well.
Now now, sometimes a gavel is just a gavel 🙂
Another Republican lie that I read about today: There’s about a trillion dollars that will be added to the deficit, and the Republicans are not factoring this in when they do their calculations. Future tax cuts for millionaires, future corporate giveaways, etc. I just can’t understand why the Republicans don’t want these giveaways mentioned when they talk on and on about “government spending.”
LOL!
I know. They don’t count any deficit incurred from tax welfare for millionaires, billionaires and criminal corporations.
And the greatest theft in world history continues. Yes I wrote about the Kabuki theater today as well.
I’m glad you did Demeur. What’s your URL?
As soon as the house floor was clear of family members a roll call vote was asked for so that each member of the house could publicly state whether or not they were going to accept their government provided health care. Every republican voted the request down.
I think Pelosi said it right when now it’s time for the left to stand back and make the right govern. They have an OVERWHELMING majority and iif she can pull her caucus together as tightly as Bohener did in the 11th, this will be better than Kabuki.
It is good to see that they have lowered themselves to my expectations of them.
Mark, I think you’re right here, not that we have much choice.
Crocodile Tears
America its time to meet your new owner allow me to introduce Mr. Boner
He cries on the platform, drinks lots of tea while claiming to love liberty
For the past four years the party of No, has been his ebb and tide and flow
When his party was in power the game was fear, Mr. Boner never shed a tear
The path he rides is dark with force, the ship he sails is way off course
He represents the GOP, believes he’s better than you and me
When we the people voted for change and hope, Mr. Boner whipped out a rope
He claimed his mission was very clear bring down the President, he shed no tears
opposed him, harassed him, told outright lies a black president he does despise
he did nothing for the people of this wonderful land all the corporations thought he was grand
no regulations, nor help for the people, Mr. Boner worships at the corporate steeple
He said no to jobs and no to health, he always says yes to corporate wealth
He said read the constitution it will set you free
Would you like another cup of tea
Tear down health care, tax the poor, for electing that man I will even the score
We need more jobs this really ain’t funny he says while soliciting corporate money
He has no problem with wars and strife, not a worry about taking innocent life
He opens his mouth and bares his teeth like a crocodile ready to eat
He will fatten us up and pile on the debt
there will be no jobs and this you can bet
His constant chatter will be there’s no money in this great land of milk and honey
he jumps on the pedestal and sells us tea
While claiming those crocodile tears are for you and me
Welcome EH! 🙂
Kudos for an excellent poem, both artistic and accurate.
That crybaby drunk and his little parrot boy Cantor are going to waste a lot of time and money on a worthless dog and pony show that the President will veto anyway. Why don’t these idiots get real and grow up?
If they get real, everyone would be able to see that there’s nothing there.