WASHINGTON - Rep. John Boehner of Ohio won election Thursday as House majority leader, promising a steady hand and a helping of reform for Republicans staggered by election-year scandal.
Boehner, who replaces indicted Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, said the GOP "must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people."
"Life goes on," shrugged Blunt, who has long had close ties to DeLay and had been the acknowledged front-runner in a race to replace him. Blunt retains his post as GOP whip, third-ranking in the leadership behind Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Boehner.
"People were ready for more reform than he (Blunt) was offering," said Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who supported a third contender, John Shadegg of Arizona, on the first ballot.
Flake added that Rep. Bill Thomas of California, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, told fellow Republicans before the vote that Boehner was "a bridge to the old Revolution days," when the GOP stood for political change.
Rep. David Hobson of Ohio, who backed Boehner, said the new leader will be "good on TV, good on policy. Democrats fear and respect him because they know he's tough but he is also fair."
Boehner and DeLay have clashed repeatedly over the years, but the election had scarcely ended when Democrats launched an effort to depict the winner as a continuation of the status quo.
"As the Who famously said, `Meet the new boss, same as the old boss,'" said Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the Democratic congressional campaign committee.
You've got to love the PR-spin that the Republicans are playing up, regarding Boehner's election to majority leader. I mean--talk about sappy! The GOP "must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people." Boehner provided leadership where, "People were ready for more reform than he (Blunt) was offering." Boehner was a '"a bridge to the old Revolution days," when the GOP stood for political change.'
The most telling remark about Boehner's election as majority leader actually came from Blunt himself--Life goes on! And as life will continue to go on, so will the Republican corruption in the House, only this time with a new leader. There will be no reform, no restoration of trust, no bridge. Boehner will continue the same with the same corrupt schemes, the same dirty legislation, the same business as usual that we've had to contend with over the last ten years. Consider this from Yahoo:
Last month, Boehner refused to return some $30,000 in donations from American Indian tribes represented by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Boehner has been criticized, as well, for the donations he has received from Sallie Mae. The nation's largest provider of student loans has interests before the committee that he chairs.
His political action committee, The Freedom Project, distributed nearly $3 million to Republican candidates over the past 11 years, according to Political MoneyLine, an Internet site that tracks political fundraising and lobbying. And as a member of the leadership several years ago, he cultivated ties with lobbyists as he tried to line up support for the GOP agenda.
n the House, Boehner has established a solidly conservative voting record. He has supported Bush's tax cuts, opposed abortion and backed numerous Republican attempts to reduce spending.
Let the corruption continue on--Happy days are here again!
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