Boehner Wants Credit For Passing Health Care Reform-- And Promises To Repeal It When He's Speaker

One of the most peculiar stories in yesterday's news cycle made me wonder if John Boehner really does spend all his time on the golf course-- 119 or 120 days in 2009 (there is a raging dispute over the exact number of days he did no work for his Ohio constituents). After hearing him on NPR trying, rather desperately, to take credit for the healthcare reform he never ceased demonizing and obstructing, I started wondering if maybe the golf thing is just a cover for severe alcoholism. Maybe he was out for those 119 or 120 days drinking with notorious lush Duncan Hunter, Jr. Actually, while he was claiming credit, he was also predicting that the GOP would win 100 seats in November (which, unless you're drunk, is actually the equivalent of a net loss of 77 seats) and then repeal healthcare reform.

INSKEEP: As you know, Democrats are already pointing to things that are changing in America because of this bill. They will point to the fact that college seniors, who would have been kicked off their families' insurance plans when they graduated, will get to stay on. Insurance companies are now saying they're going to end the practice of "rescission," where they take, or at least modify...

BOEHNER: Both of those ideas, by the way, came from Republicans, and are part of the common sense ideas that we ought to have in the law.

INSKEEP: Well, are you going to repeal those two specific things?

BOEHNER Uh, what I want to repeal are the other 158 mandates, commissions, boards that set up all the infrastructure for the government to take control of our health care system.

We've seen a few instances lately in which Republican lawmakers try to take credit for provisions in the Affordable Care Act that they fought like hell to kill.

But Boehner is being especially shameless here. He is, after all, the one who characterized the new law as "Armageddon." I guess the new line will need some caveats: "It's Armageddon ... except for those popular parts, which Republicans should get credit for, even though we voted against them."

Note to Republicans: if the Affordable Care Act is an evil assault on America, moms, and apple pie, which will end the world as we know it, and which you fight until your last breath to destroy, you don't get to take credit for its provisions, especially when you didn't really come up with them in the first place.

Also note that Boehner believes the law sets up "the infrastructure" for a government-takeover of the health care system. What an interesting way to put it. I guess the Democrats' system isn't a government-takeover, but has the capacity to be a government-takeover at some point in the future, maybe.

After all this time, can John Boehner speak intelligently about health care policy? Hell no he can't.

Boehner promised big GOP corporate donors that "a Republican health-care bill being released this week wouldn't seek to prevent health-insurance companies from denying sick people insurance. " He can't seem to get his stories straight and he never seemed in the slightest bit interested in helping uninsured people with pre-existing conditions.

The DCCC seems to delight in pointing out what a lying sack of shit Boehner is-- although I haven't heard of them making any moves to help Justin Coussoule beat Boehner in November. Here's the DCCC official statement: "Once again House Republican Leader Boehner displays no respect for the truth as he sits on the sidelines rooting for failure and then tries claiming credit for House Democrats' accomplishments. Boehner is a shameless political opportunist whose double speak and phony talking points are as real as his fake orange tan."

Here's Coussoule's official statement after he listened to Boehner's bizarre claims on NPR:

Fresh from an unsuccessful rampage against healthcare reform, Boehner, speaking to NPR, pretends that the popular ‘cream puff’ aspects of the reform package-- like the expansion of benefits to young adults and the prohibition against dumping insured people in health crises-- were ideas that his party had originated and supported.
 
This kind of illusionary talk, combined with a long two decade history of supporting exceptionally bad policies, underlines the potential danger of Boehner becoming Speaker of the House-- given that he would be just two heartbeats away from the Presidency.
 
That is an untenable prospect for most Americans and should give every citizen pause.

I'd certain say the prospect gives most DWT readers pause-- and more. Tired of the Democratic Party playing defense? The DCCC will never target the GOP leaders-- not the way the GOP goes after Democratic leaders. But Boehner can be beaten. Forget the bums at the DCCC; all they're good for is collecting tainted money from lobbyists and corporate criminals and funneling it to Blue Dogs and other conservatives who vote against the progressive agenda. Justin Coussoule is a proud progressive, not a Blue Dog, and the DCCC hasn't even acknowledged his western Ohio campaign exists. They hate progressives and they hate candidates who think for themselves. They like reactionaries and shills who take orders, like their favorite candidates this year, Blue Dog Lori Edwards in Florida and anti-Choice conservative Mark Critz in Pennsylvania. Justin Coussoule will make much better use of any contributions, keeping Boehner tied up, perhaps even beating him in a district where Independents outnumber Republicans. Please consider contributing what you can to Justin's campaign against the Orange Golfer-- here at the main Blue America ActBlue page.

No doubt Boehner will try to take credit for this too