Jacob Prall
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John Boehner. Like him or hate him, the soon-to-be former speaker of the House tried. He tried to make things work, to work out deals with President Obama, to see something happen on Capitol Hill. That alone is something many congressional Republicans can honestly say they’ve never attempted.
Our political system is a construction that relies on cooperation to succeed. Refusal to do so is immoral. Political failings end up punishing everyday Americans on the ground level, especially as the result of government shutdown. Millions have their lives and work disrupted, and it costs the U.S. economy billions. All the while, Congress is getting paid. The sheer lunacy of it is enough to drive anyone to madness or disillusionment. It’s no wonder voting numbers are down and citizens feel their voices are pointless in the political process.
Why would you want to shut down the government? I’d guess the need of vacation time as a possible reason congressional extremists are determined to derail the institutions that pay them and are owed their decency. I would suggest that, but Congress spends so few days in session already. Yet they seem to be consumed in ennui and squabble, with no ear turned to the people. So why not run the country rather than running it into the ground? You know what, maybe they’re all too busy campaigning. But many seats in Congress are won in uncontested battles. The others require such extensive efforts to generate corporate backing to pay for constant campaigning — maybe that takes it out of them. Now that I think about it, the right, and much of the left, doesn’t support transparency and donor limitations. Wouldn’t they, if the commodification of elections was making them so weary? Citizens United may not have created the problem, but the ruling doubled down on a structure of government in the United States dictated by dollars rather than integrity.
Boehner has integrity. Agreeing with his politics isn’t required to see that. He’s a man who believes in what he says and does. It’s a real loss for the American people. How unfortunate, that extreme rightists pressured out one of those brave souls in congress trying to do their job.
Boehner has spoken out against fellow Republicans since announcing his resignation. He’s pulled back the curtain, revealing that many far-right GOP congressional members know certain efforts — like repealing the Affordable Care Act in 2013, are efforts that have no chance of success. It’s not a matter of beliefs or actual conviction in their actions. It’s about obstruction.
The ham-fisted chest thumping of right-wing extremists is counterproductive to the functioning of the U.S., and the animosity generated along party lines in such efforts may result in short-term fervor but will ultimately leave the GOP isolated from the public at large. You know, those people they’re supposed to be representing.
