John Boehner holding a portrait of the late Anna Nicole Smith for reporters assembled at the House of Representatives


Washington, DC (UPSI) - A tearful House Minority leader John Boehner (R-OH) yesterday pledged to reporters that he intended to end what he called a "destructive partisan bickering" over the Iraq War by the Democrats and return the business of the house to issues that the majority of Americans find important. He pledged to adopt the cause of Anna Nicole Smith, the controversial recently deceased reality TV star, and bring binding resolutions and legislation to the floor of the house designed to protect the average American from the exploitation the late Smith and her orphaned daughter have endured. "We will refocus and reunite the Republican Party around the family values that Americans have entrusted to our stewardship," stated Boehner.

House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio led the way once more in the latest Bush team effort to twist the facts concerning the Iraq War.  The reason for this steady effort is that they know, even George W. himself with his limited knowledge and perspective, that relating directly to the facts would destroy their position.

Here is the latest zero hour panic rhetoric from John Boehner as quoted in a February 14 Washington Post story by Jonathan Weisman:

"We are engaged in a global war now for our very way of life.  And every drop of blood that's been spilled in defense of liberty and freedom from the American Revolution to this very moment is for nothing if we're unwilling to stand up and fight this threat."

Boehner's rhetoric is so twisted that it appears to have been delivered in the expectation that a majority of Americans at this critical stage can be manipulated as easily as the hypnotized dittoheads of Rush Limbaugh or the Fox zombies of Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.

The 110th congress has yet to convene but Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has already lowered the hammer, given the opposition their walking papers, and outlined the plan to pound through the Democrats '100 Hour' agenda.

Speaker Pelosi said House Republicans will "be given only one chance to amend or debate a plan to curb oil and gas subsidies and other Democratic priorities." Legislation "cutting subsidies to oil and gas producers is one of Democrats' top six priorities for their first 100 hours in power. Pelosi said Thursday that the oil and gas legislation along with bills cutting student loan interest rates and requiring the government to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare would not go through the normal legislative process."

And for those of you who might find outrage in Speaker Pelosi's decision to forego 'normal legislative process' I can only say that Republicans set the precedent for creative use of majority power to castrate the minority opposition. So if you don't like it, too damn bad. Now is not the time to roll over to the deposed dictators and share warm fuzzies.

Via DailyKos, we have the latest on the Foley-Reynolds-Hastert-Boeh ner-Shimkus-Alexander-Page Scandal from the subscription-only email newsletter Evans-Novak Political Report:

1. Will the Foley affair affect individual Republican members of Congress and Republican challengers? The immediate answer is that it already has. The President's aggressive campaign on national security and terrorism was a benefit to Republicans. Its sudden termination because of the Foley affair is a negative. The national conversation has already changed, blunting all the momentum Republicans were supposed to have nationally as Congress adjourned and the October campaign season began. Instead of discussing terrorism, Republican House leaders are defending themselves against charges that they covered up Foley's activities. The more complicated answer follows further below.

2. Blunted momentum is only the beginning of the GOP's problems. As of this writing, there does not appear to be any smoking gun suggesting a cover-up of illegal activity, but things still look bad simply because House Republican leaders did know something, and the public will be unhappy with the fact that they did not cut Foley loose immediately, even though they had no evidence of illegal activity.
The fact is, Foley was reluctant to run for re-election because of pressure over his homosexuality. He was reportedly considering two private-sector jobs already, after the White House had panned him as a Florida Senate candidate, reasoning that he could not win statewide. But National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) talked a reluctant Foley into staying. Naturally, Reynolds, as the campaign chairman, wants all incumbents to stay in the House and to minimize open seats. Foley filed as a candidate in Florida on May 8 of this year, after Reynolds and other Republican leaders had been made aware of the e-mails by the page's congressional sponsor, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.), in April. It would have been a good time to ease Foley out, because his district is solidly Republican enough that another candidate could have carried it easily.

Nine long time Republican Representatives have gone on record. They have vehemently and eloquently made a case for impeachment when we have a President who lies.

 I was very impressed at how outraged they were, how concerned they were about ensuring honor and integrity in the White House.  They believe that if the President continues such behavior it would ultimately destroy the fabric of our society and the foundations of our government for future generations.

They were quite firm in saying that such issues were above partisan politics.

If you don't have time to read it all, in summary they said that: A lying President is the antithesis of Truth, Justice and the American Way.

I am relieved, because now I know that they will have to impeach George W. Bush.

This will be the first of a series of diaries where I will share what I learned with you.

John Boehner, the new House majority leader, just said on MTP:

It (Iraq War) may not benefit our generation, but for our kids and theirs, this maybe the greatest gift we give them.

What part is the greatest gift?

The War caused Deficit?
The increased terrorism?
The instability in the Middle East?
The death and maiming of their mothers and fathers?
The loss of international credibility?
The hatred incurred among the entire arab population?
The rise of a nuclear Iran?

Answer me that, Mr. "fresh start" Majority Leader.

Here's the video, via Crooks and Liars.

...the Republican Party has left Tom DeLay.