You want more regulation? John Boehner’s your man. Fiscal responsibility? He can do that too. Big government? Small government? Boehner does it all.
1994: Contract with America
Back in 1994, John Boehner stood with Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, Tom DeLay and others to sign the Contract with America, pledging to balance the budget and cut Washington bureaucracy. It was a pledge for limited government and fiscal responsibility.
2000-2008: Champion of big government
But in 2001, George W. Bush — who wanted to be known as the “Education President” — pushed passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the largest increase of federal control over local schools since Lyndon Johnson, spearheaded by Boehner. Bush rewarded Boehner’s support by announcing the program in Boehner’s district.
Under Bush’s and Boehner’s leadership, spending for the Department of Education grew from $42 billion in 2001 to $68.5 billion in 2008 —close to a 39% increase.
Boehner also shepherded the largest budget deficits in American history through the House, turning a surplus of $127 billion when Clinton left office in 2001 into a $482 billion deficit when Obama came in.
Boehner also voted for the Medicare drug benefit, a massive new entitlement, though he later asked Congress to postpone enacting in, saying Congress was given bad information on the cost and the nation couldn’t afford it.
Becoming a big-spending Republican worked well for Boehner: he was elected Majority Leader in 2006.
Born again fiscal conservative
Now with a Democratic president in office, Boehner’s a fiscal conservative again, blasting the new administration for reckless spending, enacting new entitlements and passing debt on to our children and grandchildren.
Last week, Boehner said President Obama’s proposed budget “spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much.”
“This debt is being piled on the backs of our kids and grandkids with no relief in sight,” Boehner said.
I once had a friend named Brad who was known as a ladies’ man. I asked him what his secret was. “I’m whatever they want me to be,” he said.
Sounds like John Boehner.
While I disagree with the overall content of your view, his previous bad judgement on extra budget items makes me sick but at least now and in the final two years of the Bush Presidency, the Democrats and not the Republicans got what hey wanted.
If America is to be the land of the free and the brave then the brave have to stand up and defend our country from the inside out. Our congress has become whatever they need to be for their own personal gain time and time again. They have all jumped on the train of irresponsibility no matter which side of the political isle they fall. We hear of global warming which is a fallacy in most cases. I suggest that we elect a green congress to prevent the current congress from “political warming”. They do what ever “warms up” their own selfish careers. When it comes to congress I say “Go Green”. Just think about it. When the members of congress adopted the Bill of Rights their “political” experience was little or none. They were guided by a higher Power but today our congress thinks THEY are that power. We are responsible for taking our government back and bringing their attitudes into check. Perhaps we need the hard truths about their voting record. As we become intelligible voters our congress inevitably will become more green and USA friendly. This is not about electing more Republican or conservative Democrats. If we had fiscally conservative Republicrats perhaps they would know the true needs now and be able to determine the purpose of government…for the GOOD of all the people and not just sacrificing the immediate on the altar of the permanent for their own selfish political consumption. Straight answers and straight shooters are the kind of congress persons we need. Our entire congress with few exceptions has adopted the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ideology and had deemed Americans as a bunch of ignoramuses. They have become more proficient at “not answering” a specific question. Boy do we have a surprise “party” for them!!! Come to the party with me and let us all exercise our responsibility so that WE and not BO can make the “changes” necessary for the good of all Americans. It’s not time only for true bi-partisanship but it’s time for “new-partisanship”.