Boehner: Dems 'snuffing out' America I grew up in
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/10/art.boehner.gi.jpg caption ="House minority leader John Boehner is stepping up criticism of his Democratic colleagues."]
(Updates with Democratic response)
(CNN) – House Minority Leader John Boehner is stepping up criticism of his Democratic colleagues, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that "they're snuffing out the America that I grew up in."
Boehner's comments are the latest indication the Ohio Republican is aggressively setting his sights on the November elections as it appears increasingly possible his party could take control of the House.
"Right now, we've got more Americans engaged in their government than at any time in our history," he told the paper in comments published Tuesday. "There's a political rebellion brewing, and I don't think we've seen anything like it since 1776."
But Boehner, who most certainly would become speaker next year should the GOP take control of the chamber, stopped short of predicting Republicans will gain the 40 seats necessary to oust Democrats from control.
"The American people have written off the Democrats," he said. "They're willing to look at us again."
The top House Republican also previewed the GOP's top priorities should he take control of the speaker's gavel, including a repeal of the recently passed health care legislation.
"We are going to do everything we can to make sure that this law and this program never really takes effect," Boehner said. "One option would be to repeal the $534 billion in Medicare cuts, which pay for more than half of the law's provisions. "They're going to need money from the Congress to hire these 20,000-plus bureaucrats they need to hire to make this program work. They're not going to get one dime from us."
Boehner also suggested raising the social security retirement age to 70 for those who have at least 20 years left before retirement as a possible way to finance the ongoing wars
"We need to look at the American people and explain to them that we're broke," he said. "If you have substantial non-Social Security income while you're retired, why are we paying you at a time when we're broke? We just need to be honest with people."
In a statement released Tuesday, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said Boehner's comments are "a wake-up call to the American people about the dangers of turning back the clock to a Republican Congress."
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I wonder if any of the Republicans that participate in this blog actually read what the majority writes? I think Jae said it all. We are an America that is better than the one Mr. Boehner grew up in and I for one like it. Republicans keep your fear mongering and radical fascist ideology and either STFU or GTFU.
He's right. Dems are snuffing out the America he grew up with, and hopefully quickly. Because of Democrats, "separate, but equal" has fallen by the wayside, all races are considered equal in the eyes of the law, women are working equally (for the most part) alongside men, and gay rights are making their way into becoming a reality.
If Mr. Boehner feels the need to go back to "better times", he should take some of his not-so-hard earned money and hire a quantum physicist to work on a time machine for him.
Amazing....expect him to turn around now and complain how the Dems won't work with him. He does not deserve the honor of representing Americans.
Boner words mean nothing, what a jag head
Boener and his henchmen are just sore losers and mad that their party sucks so bad. All the GOP cares about is serving their Big $ Corporate Lobbyist Masters. Blame it all on Bush – yes that means you Republicans...err...no blame it all on Michael Steele...err...no blame it all on McCain for losing the election with his flip-floys. Oh just go back and blame it all on Obama again and maybe your base will buy it?
No, Boner, this isn't the America you grew up in and it's not the one I did either. Instead, it's the America you republicans created to corrupt the system for your own personal gains. So are the rest of us now trying to destroy the America that you and your partners in crime like Cheney, Bush and Gingrich created? You bet you butt we are. And we're going to succeed too...
I am glad the country Boehner grew up in no longer exists. I am 1 year younger than Boehner and grew up as a black American in the segregated south. I bet Boehner was not born in the hospital's basement as I was. Did Boehner have to walk 5 miles to catch a school bus then ride pass nice schools on a bus with no heat in the cold winter for 20 miles to attend a school with no heat. Did Boehner have to drink from the colored water fountain? I'm not angry or resentful, just happy that we don't have the country that Boehner wants to bring back. For some of you that think I am bringing race into what Boehner said I am not. Black Americans Love this country too. My family has had someone in every war or conflict since World War II, including the 2 wars we are fighting now. Have a Blessed day.
This Is My America And I'm a Democrate by right not by choice
no noe has snuffed out your america we inhertited the mess of
this economy from a reublican ran congress obama has to clean this
up with no help quit complaining the rest of us our tired of hearing it
the blame game won't work as far as health care reform I'm
stand with this presiendent wall street reform I stand with this
president and the war in afganistan we have to fix more messes
so quit finding ways to destroy the work still to be done quit saying
no My thinkig is either work with this president or get out of the way
of progress standing in the way won't work no doesn't work
anymore making success does obamia is trying to make this
work stop holding up progress
Hmmm...born in 1949...that would make the America he grew up in the America of civil rights, the inclusive 60's, the end of the Cold War, etc....which the previous 2 GOP administrations have gone to great lengths to undo.
I think Boehner has his political parties mixed up...sort of embarassing, I guess. Shouldn't someone tell him?
The orange tint must be penetrating whatever is left of this man's brain!
He was born in 1949 so he grew up in an era where women were relegated to the kitchen barefoot and pregnant and civil rights were nowhere to be found. Is that the America he misses?
CNN instead of this BS from him why don't you report that just yesterday boner and his rethugs want to change the retirement age to 70!!!
"We are all living longer" Yes, you horse's arse and I wonder how many companies are going to hire or keep the older folks who need more medical care, in general.
He wants to be "honest" with people? Will the people of Ohio please wake up from your comas and throw this bum out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Working for 40+ years and having money taken out of your paycheck for SS is NOT entitlemen you freakin' idiot. i guess I need to call your Dc office again and let that poor guy have it!!! What a boner you are man.
Who ran up deficits prior to Obama's admin? Who started a war in Iraq and ignored the real war in Afghanistan? Who let Osama get away? Who passed budget after budget without war funding in them? Bush and the GOP screwed up this country in 8 years but now it's all Obama's fault cuz he hasn't fixed it in less than 2 years. Boehner is a slimy, hypocritical, opportunistic history revisionist. He'd make a great running mate for Mitt Romney.
Oh come off it. Snuffing out the america he grew up in? Well, seeing how he was born in 1949, that includes a world before the civil rights act, included segregation, the cold war,Nixon's attempt at treason and McCarthyism, I'm not entirely freaking sorry to see the america he grew up in gone.
The one he grew up in , How about the millions of ME"S that spent our lives working and in the military that are being denigrated by the like of a TANNING TUB politician and who knows what else. Since I can remember my immigrant father told me two things . One was to work hard and the other was never trust a Republican they were and are the rich peoples party and do not give a damn about the less fortunate. At yr 80 I find this advice more prevalent now that i did when I grew up in the depression. I have followed that advice and have had a very sucessful life with family and property I have earned through years of honorable military and back breaking work. If this turkey doesn't like it move to a country with a dictator Pretty Much Like yourself.
There is a lot being said by a lot of people from different perspectives and to justify different biases, so what does simple, honest common sense say versus just being conned?
JOBS: Reducing taxes for the very wealthy really only guarantees more money for them, as companies only expand and create more jobs based on the supporting market and that means when the public is spending in a strong economy. The current status, where banks and companies have money but are holding back waiting for the market to turn, is a prime example of what really happens. The con that giving the very few more money will stimulate them to spend on creating jobs is illogical as they realize to expand before the market supports it is literally flirting with disaster.
TAXES: Worrying about taxes now is like ‘putting the cart before the horse’ as it is a valid concern only for those who presently have it abundantly. Those without or who are stretched thin would be glad to have a larger tax burden based on a robust economy providing them a larger income. Even the upper middle class should see that a larger net is what is really important. The con that increased taxes are a real current threat is unfounded and is self-serving for only the few.
‘SOCIALISM v CONSERVATISM’ and the ECONOMY: Government spending should be seen as ‘priming the pump’ even when creating more government jobs than private sector jobs. As the government spends, creating government jobs and buying services and supplies from the private sector (and repairing long neglected infrastructure and services), it puts money into the economy and stimulates individual spending, which then grows the private sector, encouraging recovery and a resulting robust economy. Effective social programs also help in bringing the poor up to contribute to an overall sound and, again, robust economy that benefits everyone, including even generating recyclable profits for companies and the wealthy. The con that ‘Socialism’ is a bad term and ‘Conservatism’ is the appropriate way really attempts to use extremes as emotional appeals just to manipulate public opinion.
‘CENTRIST’: The Bush-Cheney years clearly demonstrated that giving Carte Blanche to Special Interests and catering to the influential, powerful and extremely wealthy few fails miserably and ultimately costs the vast majority significantly. Their gross dishonesty and unconscionable irresponsibility represented a severe sociopathic mentality that was rationalized as ‘conservative’. Extreme and enduring ‘socialism’ is not the answer for America either. A non-extreme ‘centrist’ position is the only rational approach and the con is when either extreme is advocated, as neither totally benefits more than just a few.
DEFICIT: The deficit is a serious concern that needs to be both viewed realistically and then addressed responsibly. To insure the ability to sustain a strong and worldwide competitive economy the deficit has to be responsibly resolved. Not to do so would just result in run-away inflation and a drastic devaluation of the dollar … but to curtail government spending before reestablishing the economy on strong footing would be to encourage extreme deflation and a depression. The key is to be responsibly addressing the problem and the con is to fault whatever the opposition is doing.
‘TRICKLE DOWN’ v ‘BUBBLE UP’: The touted ‘trickle down’ theory has proven to be a fraud that benefits only those at the very top as their spending neither necessarily benefits the majority nor does giving them more necessarily stimulate them to spend more. The economy literally functions more as a ‘bubble up’ where when with spending power from the bottom up then the spending throughout stimulates profits and successes that are recycled and do create benefit for everyone. The con is in the saying that giving more to those who already spend whatever they want, will stimulate the economy by their spending more in a way that benefits everyone.
‘REGULATIONS’ v ‘DEREGULATION’: After what we have experienced there should be no doubt that ‘deregulation’, ‘open markets’ and ‘small government’ can be rationalizations to justify an irresponsible lack of rules, lax enforcement and non-existent oversight that allows run-away greed, self indulgence and gross dishonesty to run havoc and cost everyone, except a very few, drastically. History shows that this mentality, which is much like ‘pyramid schemes’, has cycled through crisis after crisis in Savings & Loans, Banks, dotcoms, real estate, financial & investment industries and always with a very few winning significantly while the vast majority looses greatly. Again a ‘centrist’ position is needed and the con is that a ‘conservative’ open market mentality is better.
POLITICAL REFORM: There are three obvious truths about political reform: one, is it is desperately needed; two, that it literally can’t be accomplished without eliminating the control of the money people, needing to get money out of politics; and three, the incumbents, the lobbyists and the influential, powerful and extremely wealthy few will fight reform like mad. The con would be that they are expressing their rights which America needs to protect.
All of the above are just very basic common sense evaluations but many times we overlook the simple, especially when being bombarded with a lot of subterfuge and emotional appeals aimed to sway us and manipulate public opinion. I personally think everyone needs to think for themselves, being rational and objective, to resist the scare tactics and the emotional appeals to biases, prejudices and attachments. The politicians who are ‘puppets’ for Special Interests and the select few are at fault but the voters who buy into the subterfuge are equally the problem. There are those who literally only have their ambitions in mind and to allow ourselves to be conned by them will provide absolutely no solace or relief later.
I'm pretty sure Boehner was born after FDR and the Fed wrecked the country.
The America Boehner grew up in was a terrible place for people who weren't white males. I suppose white males miss that time, but the rest of us sure don't!
The bloggers on here blaming Obama for these problems are really not thinking for themselves at all. Obama Inherited this mess from your wonderful republicans. I agree with most bloggers that are voting democrat. I am telling any and everyone that I know to vote democrat this year. The republicans really screwed up when they voted against unemployment, like it is the taxpayers fault when actually they are the cause of this mess. Also how they disrepect the President is another reason that they will not get my vote. You have pushed away Obama's hand too much. You want him to fail only so that you can win votes. How pathetic. You have forgotten about the American people. Well you GOP and Tea Partiers will see in November. Us so called DemocRats do not have to make a lot of noise to get our points across for change. We just show you.
I think the tanning bed fried the Ompah Lompah's brain or what is support to funciton like one. If the hatriots and Repugnicans get placed back into power, I think we should take all the smart people, invade Mexico and live there and all that will be left in the US are the nimrods and the religious zealots who will only have themselves to blame.
This fool is a first class boot licking idiot, sold his soul to oil and insurance, what do you have left to sell, your fake sun tan,
Mr.Boehner,
You and your fellow Republicans would like to believe that there is a "rebellion brewing" but just think about what it is you are actually 'hoping' for: further division in our nation. Never before in my 57 years of life, I have witnessed such HATE towards a United States President! Not even Richard Nixon who was caught in an actual crime, was hated, like President Obama is hated! This is proof enough, that the 'rebellion' is really about racism and fear. Conservatives are a fearful group, they cling to what they value and seemingly believe every lie and half-truth spewed by AM Hate Radio. Example: during the presidential campaign of 2008, Sarah Palin would incite such anger in the crowd at her rallies, that people were heard shouting "KILL HIM!" The Secret Service, had to ask the McCain campaign to ask Ms. Palin to tone-it-down! That IS fact.
Since Conservatives are big and large Christians, I do not understand how they can hate as they do?! Republicans have used the strategy of hate, lies, division and fear since I was a child. It used to be the GOP cry that the "Commies were coming!!" And now its been "the Socialists are here!" PLEASE, America is not that DUMB!
IF you look at the demographics of the Tea Partiers, the majority is White-60-something-and-male. That's hardly America!
VOTE NO IN NOvember for the Party of NO!
Four dead in O-H-I-O
Yep, those were the good ole days, sir.
George Bush's eight years snuffed out the life I once knew. Boehner is so full of political crap it is disgusting!!
Actually I have been convinced to write off Republicans. And the Republicans have done it for me.
I am sure Mr Boehner must belief that most American's can't read write or reason or he would not be making suchterribble statements.
He needs to know that the world watches as CNN is global. What he needs to do is show more respect for The President, and his feloo members of Senate and the House as this is a global world. Most politcis is global not local as they seem to think.
The world is watching.
The $534 billion in Medicare cuts? He means the $534 billion in Medicare savings! Redundant services requiring redundant tests and redundant paperwork so they can all get their alloted cut of redundant taxpayer money. Hey John, the cuts have to start somewhere if we're going to dig ourselves out of the massive hole you and Bush dug your beloved country into.