Jeb Bush, the former Florida Governor and GOP primary frontrunner, continues to demonstrate how and why he’s completely out of touch with the angry GOP base.
On CNN’s “Situation Room” Wednesday, Bush defended retiring Speaker of the House John Boehner saying he thought he did a “good job”.
When asked to follow up his grade with an answer as to why Boehner was forced to step down Bush said: “Because you have a small number of members of the Republican caucus that want more, and they’re willing to disrupt the whole process to be able to get what they want. But they’re not going to get what they want. I mean, the irony of this is that the next leader’s going to have the exact same problems.”
(Game Show Wrong Answer Buzzer) WRONG!
Sorry Jeb. Boehner stepped down because the American people were sick of seeing him rubberstamp Barack Obama’s imperial presidency. Those disruptive members became “disruptive” because they were elected to stop Boehner and Obama. And when their constituents continued to badger them with phone calls and e-mails they did exactly what a Congressional representative is supposed to do: They acted on behalf of their voters.
But let’s go back to a small portion of that answer: “They are not going to get what they want.”
What does that mean, Jeb? You know what that sounds like? “Screw the people and what they want. We will give them what WE want and there’s nothing they can do to stop us.”
Pretty ominous words. The American people have become deft at reading between the lines and that’s why they are loath to continue to elect GOP Establishment politicians.
Bush went on to laud Boehner’s record of “achievements.”
“So, John Boehner passed, through his body, repeal of Obamacare, reform of the FDA, passed a budget that limited spending. In fact, spending has been limited under his leadership, and it’s smaller today than it was four or five years ago, as it relates to — in the post-stimulus era. He’s done a good job,” Bush said.
The Obamacare repeal vote was nothing more than a show vote. Boehner’s spending limits — through the “sequester” — kept spending limited at the expense of the U.S. military at one of the most dangerous periods in global history. Meanwhile welfare programs continued to receive unfettered dollars. Boehner attacked Conservatives in his own caucus, displayed open disdain for voters who helped drive him to power and punished those who would not get in line.
Explore Boehner’s legacy of failure (below) and you’ll understand why Bush is completely out of touch with the GOP base. Saying Boehner did a “good job” amounts to an endorsement of the policies. No wonder Bush continues to slide down the polls.
Boehner’s Scorched Earth
In a re-run from 2013, Boehner raised the debt limit in 2014 without gaining any concessions or spending reforms
Supported a Farm Bill worth a trillion dollars in welfare via food stamps and corporate handouts.
Helped support the Ryan/Murray budget. Another clunker exceeding spending limits by $63 billion.
Failed to use the “power of the purse” provided via the Constitution to starve Obamacare of much-needed funding. The GOP didn’t have to repeal Obamacare because they held the purse strings.
Aided the NSA’s collection of data from private citizens by stripping “The Massie Amendment” from a funding bill.
Punished members of his own caucus for daring to represent the interest of their voters.