I have been tempted to write about John Boehner for a long time. He seems to be a mostly ineffective speaker of the House but others have previously not cast him in that light. He has successfully fought off Eric Cantor an any others who would challenge him for his spot. President Obama has played golf with him and Senate leader Mitch McConnell has deferred to his negotiation skills on numerous occasions. After the latest presidential election he proudly proclaimed that he would never again go to the White House to negotiate with President Obama. This last declaration seeming to me an abdication of his office. He speaks with a deep voice and he cries a lot both alpha male traits I suppose.

Recently he made me aware that I had been mistaken my whole life, with his informative observation that following the dictates of his tea party members was leading. I never knew before that leading was following even if it results in going off a cliff but I stand corrected. He leads by following a Republican house that seems to have as its noble cause denying health care to the poor and stopping them from eating.  The idea that you would shut down the government and or risk the full faith and credit of the country unless health care is denied is most puzzling to me. Changing how we take care of the poor is one thing punishing people for being poor is another.

If president Obama is a lame duck John Boehner seems to be a dead duck as speaker. I know I must be missing something but I can’t help but think I’m watching a sequel to Weekend with Bernie with John Boehner starring as Bernie. This country deserves better John, and being in fear of and following a group of house members in not working in the best interest of this country is not leadership.