Different set of circumstances. Back then the neocons were happy with him because Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest would run foreign policy for W. And W at least could speak to the issues. He knew where Bagdhad was. He knew about the Gulf War. Another thing is I get the impression both the GOP establishment and the base are more revved up, rightly or wrongly, about foreign policy than they were in 2000.
John Boehner who is on his way out basically called Ted Cruz and the Tea Party caucus in the House false prophets for promising things to their constituents that they knew impossible to deliver. Just rhetoric. And now Cruz is saying that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to kill the Ayotollah if he doesn't cooperate. I guess some of his fan base think he's cool and tough. But Boehner is right it's just pure ignorance.
Boehner has been attempting to work with the Tea Party caucus for years now. But obviously unsuccessfully. Him and McConnell (both Conservatives but not anti-government) promised no more gov shutdowns in the future. So just maybe his resignation will allow him to fulfill his promise (this final time) since now he has the freedom to not be concerned with the politics of the GOP and dealing with the Tea Party. You have to wonder why so few members of the GOP House have so much clout. How many Tea Partiers are there in terms of numbers? Maybe 30-50 in terms of extreme Tea Party members. So why do they have so much power when with Dems even some moderate legislation could pass. I think you have to look beyond the individual members. It's who's behind them. The ultra Conservative movement with deep pockets (like the Koch Bros etc) who finance campaigns and can go after candidates and sitting reps who oppose them.
The Boehner resignation is a very significant event. We don't know what it signifies yet but I'm betting that in 2 years we'll look back at the resignation as a peaking point. Revolutionaries don't win wars in their party. They create the foundation for whatever is next and then they either get consumed by it or they backbone it. Again, we don't know what is what at this point but we're at an inflection point.
Boehner was useless because he was unwilling to challenge the Tea Party coalition most of the time and when he did the shit hit the fan. The extreme right wing hated him for being willing to compromise with the moderates who they consider sell outs. Either their way or the highway and actually thanks to them no highways.
Yeah, I do. He has a lifetime 94 rating with the American Conservative Union and in 2010 they gave him a 100. He has opposed almost all of Obama's initiatives. But he was willing to compromise with moderates which made him the enemy of the extreme right wing.
American Conservative Union, hehe, OK. Yet he gets an "F" (35%) rating from Conservative Review. He compromises with moderates because he IS a moderate/RINO.
These people don't believe in a federal government. Boehner does. And he's willing to compromise and they won't. They want dysfunction in gov and he doesn't.
Stop. There is a difference between smaller gov't and no gov't. Please link to where CR say that don't want any federal gov't. I've never heard anyone other than anarchist touting no gov't.
