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Boehner Over Blunt

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 11:30:56 AM EST
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by TChris

The new boss:

U.S. Rep. John Boehner of Ohio upset a former deputy to indicted Texan Tom DeLay on Thursday to become majority leader of the scandal-rocked U.S. House of Representatives. ... Republicans effectively gave a vote of no-confidence to Blunt, the acting majority leader and a close ally of DeLay.

Same as the old boss? In most respects, probably yes (they share "lifetime ratings of 94 from the American Conservative Union"), but this article highlights one difference: Boehner is less willing to take harsh steps to curb undocumented workers if those steps would actually punish businesses for hiring them.

Update: More on Boehner:

Boehner was forced to apologize in the mid-1990s for distributing checks from tobacco companies to his colleagues on the House floor.

He has been scrutinized recently for accepting donations, parties and trips from Sallie Mae, the nation's largest provider of student loans, as it lobbied the House Education and the Workforce Committee, which Boehner chairs.

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    Boehner Over Blunt | 11 comments (11 topical)
    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#1)
    by ras on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:11:59 PM EST
    The bigger issue in this vote was pork, actually. Boehner opposes pork (earmarks) ... I think he boasts that he's never done so much as a single one?.. whereas Blunt was more the status quo guy. With the election of Boehner to replace DeLay, the R's have taken steps they can point out to the electorate, along with Bush's request for a line-item veto. I'd expect Boehner to follow thru with addl reforms fairly quickly. R's are defining reform as their own issue. What are D's gonna do?

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:29:32 PM EST
    ras: R's are defining reform as their own issue. What are D's gonna do? If I were the D's, I'd smile and nod as the GOP reminds folks about the D's best issue. Pretty often, I'd make an angry comment about corruption in the GOP and the need to clean house. ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Jan. 23-26, 2006. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. Fieldwork by TNS.
    "Which political party, the Democrats or the Republicans, do you trust to do a better job standing up to lobbyists and special interest groups?" Democrats 46% Republicans 27% Both/Neither/Unsure 26%
    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:34:02 PM EST
    roy-
    Let's not forget that Boehner is the guy who got a black eye back in the mid-90s for handing out checks from Tobacco lobbyists on the floor of the House. And of the three guys running for the job he had the most former staffers working on K Street.
    josh marshall explains why we should not forget.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:35:16 PM EST
    ras- Sorry I meant ras not roy. More coffee please.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#5)
    by ras on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:47:07 PM EST
    Squeaky, No need to apologize; insufficient coffee is always grounds for a re-do! Punisher, I tend to discount polls anyway, but note that the numbers you cite are kinda the "traditional" ones that the usual party stereotypes (Republicans=cold+smart; Dems=warm+dumb) perpetuate, and their electoral value is already factored in. What matters then, is which way do they *move*. A lot of this will be water under the bridge by November, cuz I expect the battle over Stevens' replacement on SCOTUS to dominate.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 12:58:07 PM EST
    ras: I tend to discount polls anyway, but note that the numbers you cite are kinda the "traditional" ones that the usual party stereotypes (Republicans=cold+smart; Dems=warm+dumb) agreed, polls need to be read with a critical eye, not to be taken at face value. My point, and I think your stereotypes support it, is that this issue is playing on the Dem's home field, warm/dumb (read honest) versus cold/smart (read calculating).

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#7)
    by Joe Bob on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 02:06:27 PM EST
    Boehner? Is that pronounced 'boner'? Is it just me, or does Boehner Over Blunt sound like a Cheech & Chong movie, or maybe an American Pie sequel? Oh, by the way, the line item veto is a bill that was passed and declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court several years ago. Though who knows, now that we have a couple of new 'strict constructionists' on the court Bush can hope for a do-over.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#8)
    by ras on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 03:34:04 PM EST
    Joe Bob, It's pronounced, Bay-ner, btw, but we were having fun w/it over at the Rightie sites, too: e.g. Why DeLay when you can have a Boehner! Squeaky, I think you have a good pt, but like I say, the trendline is the key and neither of us will know for sure that till Beohner settles into his new job and either delivers or doesn't. I kinda doubt that spin from either side will matter that much compared to performance. Interesting take on Boehner from the Dems . They sound disappointed, as if they felt they could paint Blunt as status quo and Shadegg as regionally unpopular in certain key districts, which wouldda helped them out had he won.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#9)
    by ras on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 03:35:30 PM EST
    Oops, I messed up the link to the Dem take on Boehner. Let's try that again.

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Thu Feb 02, 2006 at 07:30:27 PM EST
    here is more about Boehner from the United Jewish Democratic Council. Sounds like they speak for most who believe in the seperation between church and state. The guy sounds like a real creep. Where do they find these guys? UJDC Link via atrios

    Re: Boehner Over Blunt (none / 0) (#11)
    by john horse on Fri Feb 03, 2006 at 05:22:52 PM EST
    Ok let me get this straight. The Republicans have controlled the Presidency, Senate, House, and the Court. Now the Republicans are now presenting themselves as the party of reform in order to correct years of Republican corruption. As George the Elder once said, "too little, too late."

    Boehner Over Blunt | 11 comments (11 topical)