On Sunday’s 60 Minutes program, Americans got a glimpse of incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner, and it was not a pretty sight. The Ohio Republican broke down in a fit of blubbering, snot-nosed weep-fest that could have been mistaken for either a drunken outburst, or a heartfelt expression of care and concern for America and its children; it was disingenuous at best. For Americans who are ignorant of Boehner’s voting record against the American people, he may have made points as a politician who genuinely cares for America and its people, but for those who follow the politics of Boehner and Republicans, it was a phony display meant to garner sympathy.
Boehner broke down while telling host Leslie Stahl about his life’s history and his concern that America’s children have the same opportunities that he had growing up. Boehner grew up at a time when the tax rate for the wealthiest Americans was over 90%, and the nation enjoyed a building boom with the Federal government funding a national highway system, and union jobs were responsible for creating the middle class. Union jobs meant workers could buy homes, cars, and durable goods that in turn created more jobs. It was also the time when returning service members were offered the G.I. Bill to assist with education and buying homes.
John Boehner is a product of big government spending and high taxation of the richest Americans, so it is curious why he is so enamored with tax breaks for the rich and no government funding for social programs. Boehner also witnessed politics that counted on cooperation, compromise, and a desire to work for the American people instead of corporations and the wealthy. In other words, Boehner’s policies today are the exact opposite of the politics and policy that enabled him and all Americans to prosper.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
The reason Boehner began his creepy-weepy breakdown is because he wants children to have the opportunities he had as a child, but his voting record belies his concerns for children’s education. He has consistently voted to fund private schools with a view toward a voucher system that will in effect, privatize all schools in America.
He has voted consistently to put prayer in the public schools in spite of the fact that in Ohio during Boehner’s childhood, there was never prayer or god in school. Boehner strongly favors teacher-led prayers in school, and sought to tie Federal funding for schools to schools that require prayer in school in direct violation of the 1st Amendment. If Mr. Crybaby attended public schools in Ohio, he never had teacher led prayers, so it is curious why he votes to instate prayer in school. This author attended schools in Ohio and there was no school prayer in the classroom, and mentioning god was frowned upon because it was a private matter and school was not the place for religion.
If Boehner was really concerned about children and families, he would not have voted against 4 weeks of maternity leave for federal employees so mothers could spend time with their babies for the first month of their lives, or against gender equality in pay. Did Boehner break down and cry when he voted against maternity leave, or did he vote no and go hit the bars?
Boehner has voted consistently to ban union organizing, and in Ohio, union jobs in the automobile industry helped create economic stability that he benefited from. If Boehner is concerned that children in America won’t have an opportunity to prosper, why did he vote against raising the minimum wage for the parents who lost good jobs? Does he understand that there is a difference in the cost of living between the time he was raised and today? His claim that it is important to guarantee that Americans have the opportunity to prosper today like they did during the 50s and 60s falls short of believability when his voting record tells a completely different story.
John Boehner has consistently voted against the American people on every issue that comes before him, and instead supports policies that punish hard work while rewarding corporations for outsourcing jobs. When Americans lost their jobs to outsourcing and downsizing, Boehner voted against extending unemployment benefits that are crucial for families and the welfare of children that he wept profusely over on 60 minutes.
Mr. Boehner has voted against every bit of legislation that gives equal rights to women in the workplace, so his excuse of crying for the children and young parents is a lie. He also has voted to reward marriage as THE institution in America by supporting constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage, and voted against allowing gay couples to adopt children. Apparently, Boehner prefers that children live in foster homes rather than a loving environment; does he weep profusely at the thought of children being shuttled from one temporary home to another?
It is good that Americans were able to witness the blubber-fest from John Boehner, and better yet that they heard his reasons for the emotional breakdown. At least for the next two years, Americans will see firsthand the hypocrisy that Boehner lives by, and they may see that his interest is not in children or working families, but in protecting corporations and the wealthy. By his own admission, he does not believe in cooperation or compromise, and that too will become evident for those who did not see the 60 Minutes interview.
John Boehner believes in protecting corporations and the wealthy, and he will work tirelessly to destroy what’s left of the working middle class. He will defund the education system in favor of privatization so there can be mandatory Christian prayers in every school. Americans will also see the deficit grow and more jobs lost because Republicans have no ideas to create jobs except the lame notion of trickle-down economics that has never proven true. In short, Americans will learn that Boehner’s crying is a ruse to trick them into thinking that Boehner cares for any Americans; except the wealthiest. View John Boehner’s voting record here.
Image: businessinsider.com
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
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.
