We all say we want bad politicians to go away and be replaced. But even if they lose an election or resign, they seemingly always stay in some capacity and rear their heads from time to time, much to everyone’s chagrin.
Most of us predicted this would be the case with former House Speaker John Boehner. Ever since being de facto forced out of Congress in 2015 for being an absolute failure for the Republican party’s agenda and being so unpopular with constituents, he has popped up occasionally, even advising President Donald Trump to sign a budget that betrayed virtually all of Trump’s promises and funds none of his agenda. As reported by Conservative Review, Trump did not want to sign the bill, but Boehner and Trump’s Chief of Staff Reince Priebus persuaded him to do so to avoid a government shutdown.
But on Friday, Boehner had the nerve to call Trump’s term in office so far “a complete disaster.”
As reported by TheBlaze, Boehner made his comments during a question and answer session after his keynote speech at a global energy conference. “[Aside from foreign policy,] everything else he’s done [in office] has been a complete disaster,” Boehner was reported as saying. “He’s still learning how to be president.” Boehner also added how he disagreed with Trump’s approach to repealing Obamacare, and how he didn’t see tax reform happening.
Little does he realize that it can easily be argued that Trump would not be President if Boehner had kept his own promises.
In 2010, after Republicans won back the House of Representatives, Boehner promised to cut spending and create jobs. But it was clear early on that Boehner had no intention of keeping his word. He openly enabled former President Obama’s leftist agenda and spending priorities, while not even caring to hide his hatred for conservatives in his own party.
This continued even after Boehner left Congress. During the Republican primary elections, he referred to Senator Ted Cruz, arguably the most conservative candidate for president, as “Lucifer in the flesh.” Boehner also celebrated when Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, a staunch conservative, was defeated in a primary challenge by a Republican establishment candidate.
It is pretty obvious that the lack of leadership from Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to stop Obama’s leftist agenda helped to rile up the country’s traditional conservative population, who felt deceived and betrayed. As a result, they ultimately elected Trump as the party’s nominee.
The American people were betrayed by Boehner and others in Republican leadership for much of the last eight years. Maybe if his tenure hadn’t been a “complete disaster,” the country would be much better off, no matter who was president today.