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Representative John Boehner

Special Bulletin. John Boehner R.I.P.: A Tribute and a Call to Action.

Two weeks ago, in a mildly prescient post, we discussed the brewing revolt against John Boehner and the toxic contribution of Donald Trump. (Blog No. 77. Embattled John Boehner: The Oozlum Caucus and the Trumpian Virus.) With the announcement by John Boehner that he will retire at the end of October, the Oozlum Caucus (aka the Freedom Caucus and the Tea Party Caucus) have clearly achieved a victory. The extent of their triumph is yet to be determined but the prospect for responsible governance in the House of Representatives is not encouraging.Read More »Special Bulletin. John Boehner R.I.P.: A Tribute and a Call to Action.

Blog No. 41. The Mess at the Border (and in Washington).

The surge of unaccompanied children from Central America across our southern border has produced what is generally recognized to be a mess. Sadly, it has been accompanied by the familiar mess in Washington with the usual antagonists, the Administration and Congress, Republicans and Democrats, struggling over how to respond. And the border crisis appears to have made the goal of “comprehensive immigration reform” more elusive than ever.Children-at-borderRead More »Blog No. 41. The Mess at the Border (and in Washington).

Blog No. 20. What now for Republicans? (Schadenfreude is not a policy.)

Schadenfreude: a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people.

Republicans may be forgiven if they have indulged themselves in a bit of Schadenfreude over the continuing debacle of Obamacare.  To be sure, that debacle could hardly have come at a more opportune time. The furies unleashed by the website failures and the cancellation of insurance policies served to soften, if not erase, the public disdain for the Republicans’ recent antics: the ill-advised gambits with the government shutdown and the debt ceiling. Nevertheless, those furies, and the agonies they have produced in Democrats, may prove to be ephemeral. A diet of Schadenfreude does not provide much nutrition, and it surely is not a policy.Read More »Blog No. 20. What now for Republicans? (Schadenfreude is not a policy.)

Special Bulletin Republican Support for ENDA

On Thursday, the Senate passed the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), 64-32. Subject to broad exemptions for religious institutions, the bill prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity. RINOcracy.com salutes the ten Republicans who voted in favor of the bill:

Kelly Ayotte (N.H.)

Susan Collins (Maine)

Jeff Flake (Ariz.)

Orrin G. Hatch (Utah)

Dean Heller (Nev.)

Mark Kirk (Ill.)

John McCain (Ariz.)

Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)

Rob Portman (Ohio)

Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.).

Read More »Special Bulletin Republican Support for ENDA