The Tears of a Clown

It’s like watching the proverbial train wreck unfold right before your eyes. John Boehner is drug addicted and not in control of his emotions, and he is third in line to become President of the United States, should both President Obama and Vice President Biden be unable to serve (sort of like being the runner-up in the Miss America contest). Someone please pull the emergency cord before it’s too late and we find Boehner “driving that train, high on Merlot”

I am sure there have been abusers of drugs and alcohol in the House and Senate and in the Oval Office before. Richard Nixon drank heavily throughout his final days as the leader of the free world. Now that was a scary situation, but under the circumstances, I can understand his need to hit the bottle. He was under great stress and strain. But John Boehner is under no such duress, yet he is a heavy smoker and drinker, both of which he has admitted he cannot control and has no intention of quitting. As a result, he is an emotional wreck, unpredictable and a potential threat to our nation, should he have to take command of the country’s leadership.

Boehner is frequently crying and over-emotional at public events and during sessions of Congress. He sobbed uncontrollably during a 60 Minutes interview last year (Boehner Crying) and again last week during an interview with Bob Schieffer of CBS News (maybe he has a thing for CBS).

The evidence strongly supports intervention -- Boehner’s stability is suspect. So far he has been given a free pass from the public and the press. Why is he not under greater scrutiny for public crying and sobbing, like Edmund Muskie in 1968 or Hilary Clinton during the New Hampshire Democratic primary of 2008?

Boehner himself admits that he is addicted to drugs (tobacco is a drug as classified by the AMA) and is unable to quit. Read his own comments on the subject from this news article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/12/ftn/main6858709.shtml

If you want to use drugs and alcohol, and are willing to accept the consequences, then I’m not one to interfere with your choices. As long as it doesn’t affect other’s health or well being, if you want to abuse your body and mind, it’s your choice.

However, if you are third in line for the Presidency then your drug use should be the concern of all citizens.

“The limbic system, which consists of the hippocampus and septal area of the brain, controls memory and emotions. The affect of alcohol on this system is that the person may experience some memory loss and may have exaggerated states of emotion.” From Bloodalcohol.com

John Boehner is clearly suffering from the effects of alcohol use, as evidenced by his frequent public emotional breakdowns. He displays exaggerated states of emotion with the slightest provocation. I can understand the recent speech on the floor of Congress regarding the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabriella Giffords, in which he could barely speak through his tears. That was a difficult situation for Boehner, as he no doubt was full of emotion and personal guilt for not speaking out against gun violence and voting to repeal the assault weapons ban in 2003.

But when he is simply talking about his boyhood jobs, or how he wants the American dream to come true for the youth of our country, and cries uncontrollably with heavy sighs, blubbering like an overly dramatic soap opera star, you have to question his mental stability.

He should have the good sense to resign from Congress and allow a more capable and stable person to take over the House leadership. He needs to go into treatment and cure his addictions. I am sure his family is troubled by his frequent emotional breakdowns and they would be relieved if he quit Congress and sought help. We all would be relieved if John Boehner found a way to manage his addictions and become emotionally fit to serve our country again.

But if the alcohol and tobacco have impaired his judgment to the point where he cannot see what is best for him and the country, we the people will have to pressure the Republican leadership to remove Boehner from office. Write your congressman and write to the Republican leadership and demand that they remove Boehner from office before he becomes the nation’s train conductor. Or that proverbial train wreck might just become a reality for you and me.

"Hey, ASSINO... Put Down That Check!"

~

To stimulus or not to stimulus, that was the question facing Congress a year ago. Every Republican member of Congress answered the question with a resounding "no" vote on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) last February. Agree or disagree with the Republicans, at least they were clear about their position on the bill. And that I respect.

A politician should be resolute and take a strong stance for their convictions, even if it is unpopular or counter to their own political interests. Like the eight senators that John F. Kennedy wrote about in "Profiles in Courage," the Republican members of Congress voted their conscience, even when most Americans supported the bill. The leader of the House Republicans, John Boehner (R) Ohio, even called the economic stimulus bill a "socialist program" and pronounced it a failure before even one dollar had been spent. Good for him. Like a good umpire, Boehner called the play as he saw it. I didn't agree with their position on the stimulus bill, but I appreciated the Republican Party members for taking a position and standing their ground.

Or did they?

Were the stalwarts of conservatism the fiscal disciplinarians they claim to be? Did they exhibit "Profiles in Courage?" Or, did they forget what their vote stood for and dip their buckets in the so-called "socialist" well? Let's examine the issue a little closer and find out just what happened with our Republican friends who voted their conscience on ARRA.

It turns out that many Republican congressmen and women (111 at last count) that vehemently opposed the stimulus bill have been taking credit for the stimulus money pouring into their districts. What? You don't believe me? Take a look at this article from "Think Progress" for details of their hypocrisy.

My favorite from the article has to be Senator Kit Bond of Missouri, who makes no sense when he praises a "type of emergency stimulus spending" he didn't vote for.

In a press release, Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) announced, “This is the type of emergency stimulus spending we should be supporting – programs that will create jobs now and help families.”

-Senator Bond Voted Against The Recovery Package Twice [Record Vote 59; Record Vote 60]

-Senator Bond Blasted The Recovery Package, Stating, “Unfortunately, This Bill Stimulates The Debt, It Stimulates The Growth Of Government, But It Doesn’t Stimulate Jobs.” [Forbes, 2/9/09]

Huh?

What would cause an experienced politician to publicly damn a spending bill and then publicly take credit for the same spending bill? I'm sure it will surprise you that I have the answer!

It turns out that the stalwarts of conservatism were actually "Anti-Stimulus Spenders in Name Only," or "ASSINO's." (pronounced "ASS I NO")

Are you for the stimulus bill or are you against it? You can't hold both positions at the same time. Unless you are an "ASSINO."

Do you think ARRA was wasteful government spending or proper use of government spending during a recession? An "ASSINO" adheres to both sides of that philisophical debate.

How do you take credit for that which you despise? Be an "ASSINO," of course.

How do you spend money from a program that you deem a failure? Ask an "ASSINO" Republican for the answer to that one.

How do you take the position that the stimulus bill is a socialist disaster, then take credit for delivering money to your district from the bill that you called a socialist disaster? Ask the Head "ASSINO" John Boehner and he'll tell you.

I've lived a few years now, but I've never seen such blatant hypocrisy by politicians in my life. It is one thing to oppose a spending bill on your own political beliefs or values. Fine, take a stand, have a political backbone. But to attack the spending bill as "socialist," and then turn around and take credit for the stimulus spending in your district is a new low, even for American politicians.

Last night I had a dream that I was at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of highway through John Boehner's district. Rep. Boehner was standing there with an oversized check in his hand, and making comments about bringing new jobs and economic vitality to his constituents. The money to pay for the new highway came from the stimulus bill that he voted against. Frustrated by what I was witnessing, I yelled out "Hey ASSINO, put down that check!"

Looking startled, Rep. Boehner turned in my direction. When he saw it was me he winked, then gave me a knowing smile -- out of both sides of his mouth.