Former speaker of the House John Boehner began having serious issues with the direction the GOP was heading in 2010, and now he is finally opening up about the “crazy town” the Republican Party has become.
Today Mr. Boehner’s new book is due for release and according to those in the know it is not the typical ex-politician’s accounting of “what-I-achieved in office.” Mr. Boehner told USA TODAY that “I wasn’t going to write some typical Washington walk.”
Whether one agreed or disagreed vehemently with former Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner, he was at least a dyed-in-the-wool old-school conservative and deserved a semblance of respect for toeing the conservative party line. He was also a decent politician who understood that governance means making compromises with Democrats when it’s necessary to govern. However well-meaning his efforts were when he became Speaker of the House, they were immediately upended when the Tea Party, and later the so-called Freedom Caucus, came to Washington to burn it down, not govern.
The day after Trump incited his insurrectionist followers to storm the United States Capitol to stage a bloody, but failed, coup d’état, Mr. Boehner, who said he was “disgusted,” posted a rare political tweet saying:
“I once said the party of Lincoln and Reagan is off taking a nap. The nap has become a nightmare for our nation. The GOP must awaken. The invasion of our Capitol by a mob, incited by lies from some entrusted with power, is a disgrace to all who sacrifice to build our Republic.”
Two days later Mr. Boehner sent a meaningful massage to his loyal followers stating:
“It’s been a dark and tragic week for America, on the heels of a very difficult year for our country and our world. I can’t imagine any of us will ever escape the image of the United States Capitol being invaded and ransacked.“
Of course on January 6 Boehner’s book was finished, including his reading of it for an audio version, but he had little good to say about the current iteration of the fascist Republican movement he labeled “crazy town” and a “clown car.”
According to reports, Mr. Boehner “describes Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as ‘Lucifer in the flesh.’ Freedom Caucus members as ‘political terrorists’ and ‘far-right knuckleheads.’ Former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin as ‘one of the chief crazies.’”
As an aside, it has been reported, and confirmed by a spokesman for Boehner’s publisher, St. Martin’s publishing Group, that during the reading for the audio book version that “There were, during the recording session, some off-script moments.” In one of those moments Boehner said:
“Oh, and Ted Cruz, go f*ck yourself.”
The spokesman, Joseph Rinald, said it was not clear if the off-script quote would be included in the final audio version of the book. One certainly hopes it is and for no other reason than a fair number of Americans share that sentiment about dirty Ted Cruz being “Lucifer in the flesh.” This author certainly does.
The former House Speaker also had little good to say about tyrant Trump, including holding him personally responsible for the insurrection at the Capitol based on Trump’s lies to his loyal supporters. Mr. Boehner said what any conscious American already knows as fact: Trump abused his followers by lying to them. Regarding Trump’s culpability in his attempted coup Boehner said:
“I don’t think it was just about him showing up at a rallly on Jan. 6th. The comments that were made all summer about the election was going to be stolen from him, all the follow-up noise that occurred after the election – I kept look for the facts.
What struck me, especially after the election, was here’s all these people loyal to Donald Trump, and he abused them. He stepped all over their loyalty to him by continuing to say things that just weren’t true.”
Unlike every Republican in Congress and across the nation, at least Mr. Boehner is telling the truth about Trump being a monumental liar. It is true he may just now be calling out the GOP as “crazy town” and a “clown car,” but the man is telling it like it is and he still wields influence over Republican voters who are every bit as “disgusted” with the state of the party as every decent human being. Still, there is room for criticism and over at Mother Jones David Corn didn’t mince words. He said regarding Boehner’s come to Jesus moment:
“You invited in the crazies and gave them a big bear-hug, You set them on a path that not so surprisingly ended up with a Republican president inciting a Republican crowd to ransack the citadel of American democracy where you once worked. So spare us your righteous indignation.”
Although Mr Corn is right, this author welcomes Boehner’s straight talk about the state of the Republican movement; particularly the demand that Ted Cruz go and fornicate himself.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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