Boehner’s departure puts House on disastrous path

When you have divided government, compromise is necessary in order for the people’s business to get done. Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner of Ohio adhered to this principle and has paid the ultimate price.

Boehner, who has represented the southwest part of the state since 1991, shocked the nation last week with his announcement that he is not only resigning as speaker but will be leaving Congress at the end of October.

Why? Because ultraconservative members of the Republican caucus were planning a political coup to demonstrate their unhappiness with the speaker’s willingness to compromise with Democratic President Barack Obama and the Democratic minority in the House.

The GOP also controls the Senate, and after Boehner’s announcement, there were calls from tea-party adherents for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., also to resign.

Right-wing ideology is trumping political pragmatism among Republicans on Capitol Hill, which is disastrous for the country because it means a shutdown of the government looms large.

Boehner’s impending resignation has emboldened the right-wingers in the House, who have been harshly critical of the speaker for not making the defunding of Planned Parenthood the centerpiece of a must-pass bill to fund the federal government.

A move to strip taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood was blocked in the Senate on Thursday.

President Obama has made it clear he will veto any government-funding bill that does not include money for Planned Parenthood.

Both Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader McConnell recognize the political and practical dangers in failing to give government agencies money to operate. The public blamed Republicans for the last government shutdown, and it’s a safe bet that the GOP would again be blamed.

But the right-wing factions of the Republican Party don’t care.

They are deeply unhappy that Congress has failed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare –and to block the Iran nuclear agreement from taking effect. They also have been angry at the leadership for being willing to work with Democrats in the House and Senate and with the Obama administration to keep the government operating.

SHUTDOWN AS BADGE OF HONOR

Tea-party faithful and others who share their core political beliefs want leaders in Congress who will be willing to fight for conservative priorities.

A government shutdown is a badge of honor for them.

“It’s time to get some new leadership in Congress. They really haven’t stayed true to conservative values,” said Pam Anderson, a marina manager in Panama City, Fla., who was in Washington last week for a Value Voters forum. Attendees applauded loudly when they were told of Boehner’s decision to resign.

As for Sen. McConnell, Anderson had this message: “If he wants to do what’s right for this country, he’ll step down, too.”

This widely held attitude is bad news for house Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who was endorsed by Boehner for the speakership.

The leadership fight that Boehner hoped to avert with his resignation will occur if the 30 or so House ultraconservatives flex their political muscles.

The potential paralysis on Capitol Hill is worrying reasonable Republicans, who rightly believe that the party will pay a steep price in the next election.

“We have to govern here,” said Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, a Boehner ally. “We don’t get to go on talk radio and say whatever we want.”

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., was even more critical of the right-wingers in the House.

“I’m sure some of those guys have Cheshire grins right now,” Dent said. “If you’re not willing to govern, we will make you marginal and irrelevant, and we will find those who will help us.”

But what Tiberi, Dent and other thoughtful lawmakers don’t seem to understand is that the tea party and other similar groups aren’t interested in the country being governed. For instance, they don’t care that America’s infrastructure is crumbling and that a long-term rebuilding program for the nation’s roads and bridges is needed.

What has happened to Boehner will happen to other Republican leaders who are viewed with suspicion.

Congress will soon be paralyzed, and that isn’t good for the country.