No, no. Anarchists are not just more extreme libertarians, it’s a different tradition, closely allied to Marxism.
Libertarians oppose government because they see it as a threat to private property.
Anarchists oppose government because they see it as a defender of private property.
Tea Partiers oppose government because it is not like it was when they were young.
Although it actually is, just a little darker, if you know what I mean winkwinknudgenudge…
If Boehner does sacrifice his political ass for the good of the country, I plan to be among the first rank to gleefully eat my words and applaud him for the statesman he has become. That such a splendid act emerged from such a weak vessel would be minor epiphany, and to be celebrated.
Stolen. Mine. Back off.
Quite the image. Make a good substitute for ipecac. And if Brooks owns a pair of jeans, he sends them out to be ironed.
As an anarchist, I find this insulting.
sighs Please, spare me the drama.
My bold.
What power does Boehner have? He’s being led around by the nose in his own House.
Note the username and the join date. Don’t even bother.
I thought that was what the entire country was saying to the House.
I don’t see the point. He’s completely lost control of his own caucus and he certainly wouldn’t be leading the Democrats. He seems (to me) to be tired and frustrated with the whole concept. He’s staying with it because it’s his job and he’ll see it through but I can’t imagine him fighting to keep the role, especially not by allying with the Democrats. So now he gets to stay Speaker and have even LESS power? What’s he doing it for, the bigger paycheck?
Surely he’s achieved one of his life’s ambitions. Being Speaker is a great honor and privilege, it was Gerald Ford’s lifetime dream never achieved. More money and the best office in the Capitol are nice, but I think it’s just the honor of the job that appeals to those who seek it.
One gets the feeling that he doesn’t believe half the shit that he spews and just goes through the motions. He’s utterly defeated by the job, and that job might be completely impossible for anyone given the influx of the batshit tea crowd.
This.
Agreed. That was sort of my thought, the “dream” part of the Speaker role is dead for him. So I don’t see what would motivate him to seek a deal with Pelosi to preserve his job. If the extremists actually tried to push him out, it’d be better to die on his sword than to strike a deal with Democrats to save his crushing post.
You all make some good points. I have no idea what Boehner feels in his heart of hearts, but I don’t see this as a particularly exciting/rewarding time for him. In 95/96, Gingrich was all gung-ho and you could see he kind of enjoyed it all. If Boehner feels that way he’s good at hiding it.
Meh. The GOP oppose government because Ronnie told them too.
As Aaron Sorkin said, a leader can lead the people across the desert, tell them to drink water from a mirage, and they’ll drink sand. They drink the sand because they don’t know the difference.
I’m not sure in any case that Democrats would be able to get enough Democrats to vote for Boehner as Speaker to reach a majority of the House. There is a progressive caucus, believe it or not.
The projection . . . it burns . . .
Well, TSBG at least know that you’re ahead of your time. From today’s LA Times:
Note that it’s an editorial column, not a direct news story and one Democratic rep making the tweaking suggestion doesn’t mean a movement is afoot. Thought it was an amusing coincidence with this thread though.
This article, by a conservative reporter, suggests that Boehner is in fact afraid of losing his Speakership:
On Capitol Hill, the Obamacare fight is no longer about Obamacare | Washington Examiner
Which, perhaps, gives the Democrats a theoretical opening, a la the LA Times piece.
Can someone tell me what the difference between being speaker but beholden to the will of a group of about 30 idiots, and just giving up the ghost and stepping down, is?
I wouldn’t want to remain speaker if everything I had to do was to appease some insane people. Why does Boehner even want to keep the job?
I just say hold the open vote for all democrats and republicans, and if the tea partiers force a new speakership election, and Boehner loses, then what is he really losing? He is obviously not the leader of his party right now in the house. The Tea Partiers are calling all the shots. He is impotent. Whether he holds the title of speaker seems irrelevant at this point.
Is it just pride?
“A little group of willful men, representing no opinion but their own, have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible, (making it) the only legislative body in the world which cannot act when its majority is ready for action.”
This crisis, however, is a House problem; filibusters do not apply.