By now, most of us have heard at least snippets of the rags-to-riches
American Dreamy Tale of how John Boehner rose to national prominence from his humble beginnings as a child laborer back in the family saloon.
The work ethic that made the Boehner's taproom, America and wee Johnny great was this simple:
If you wanted something you worked for it," Boehner said, adding, "Trust me, I did it all.
Well, we don't need to delve into the "did it all" details. Suffice it to say that Speaker Boehner is just
sick over how shiftless and lazy some Americans have become and he didn't mind telling that to his audience, yesterday, during a speech to the
American Enterprise Institute, that watchdog of our hallowed trickle-down principles.
. . . this idea that has been born, maybe out of the economy over the last couple years, that you know, I really don't have to work. I don't really want to do this. I think I'd rather just sit around. This is a very sick idea for our country."
The US unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in August, down from a 10 percent high in October 2009. Nevertheless, Speaker Boehner is looking squarely at you slackers and moochers in the long-term unemployed.
The cure? well, Speaker Boehner thinks that Rep Paul Ryan's tough love, "cut the ropes to the safety-net hammock" anti-poverty plan "has an awful lot of merit."
With that rhetorical flourish, Speaker Boehner then had to cut and run to get back to Congress and the important business of shutting down the house a week early. That's right, after 8 days of grueling work, Speaker Boehner has announced early dismissal.
As Russell Berman at The Wire put it:
One vote on war and Congress is apparently all tuckered out.
House leaders announced Thursday that they were cutting their already abbreviated fall session short and sending lawmakers back home – and onto the campaign trail – more than a week early.
And
Rachel Maddow was certainly not amused:
“Sixteen-hundred US military families have gotten the call that they've had their loved ones deployed to Iraq, they’re flying those missions right now,” Maddow said. “But Congress? Heading home for another seven week break, because they can’t be bothered to think about that right now. They’ve got more important business to tend to they’ve gotta get re-elected. Because that's the most important thing they do, right?"
You know what's really "sick" Speaker Boehner? the unholy mess that Republicans have made of "the People's House" and their total lack of accountability for same.
On November 4th, nothing is more important than getting to the polls, folks, and cleaning House before they burn it down.