John Boehner : Leader Again

Ohio Congressman John Boehner was reelected as the Speaker of the House today. While there had been some doubt as to his ability to hold his position in his own party in the end with a few defections Boehner gained the gavel again.

This is a tough time for Republicans. We are told that the Speaker recently in the middle of negotiations on the Fiscal Cliff told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to do something physically impossible to himself. Boehner is under incredible stress. The party of the right is now the party of the far right and the reasonable right. Boehner is a pragmatic man.

He is not someone I would vote for. He still is indebted to Corporations, Banks and those that manipulate the far right. He does not however feel a need to send his country to the brink to prove a point. In short, much as my Democratic friends will flay me for saying so, the Speaker is a patriot.

One of the great things about America in the past, and what is missing now is that we all should feel a genuine sureness of the patriotism and goodwill of those who have differing viewpoints. I will not lie, I could not say that about every Republican that I know of. I think some of them are reprehensible. Boehner however is not one of them.

In the coming battles over the debt ceiling, entitlement reform and a myriad of other issues the only person who has a tougher job than the President and honestly perhaps even tougher is the Speaker. Trying to hold together his own caucus is a challenge for any speaker, in these days of the Tea Party it is even tougher.

Boehner is not perfect but he is a patriot and I believe a man of honor. It will be interesting to see what develops, there will be days that I curse him, but, considering his position, we should remember he is in a tough position. He will not ask us to cry tears for him, one could jokingly say that he will cry those himself, but perhaps we all should try, for as long as we can, to keep goodwill in our hearts. Check back with me in March and I will surely disagree with myself by then.

I think we all have to realize Boehner's position.