quote:

ORIGINAL: bounty44

some of you are operating under this strange assumption that its congress's job to "do something"

a few things: for the most part, what mess we are in is due to government involvement in places where many, if not most people, believe it doesn't belong. I don't want congress (or the government in general) to "do something," I want them to do less.

which is a nice segue into our social/political differences. when democrats and republicans are so philosophically at odds with each other---just what does "doing something" look like? it means finding those rare places where bi-partisan agreement exists (if any) and to me, it also means putting a halt on the liberal agenda. the last two congressional elections where democrats were voted out in droves should give you an idea of where most of the country stands on that latter point.

liberals like to cry that republicans are obstructionists, or the "party of no"---how absurd, as if republicans in those instances are doing something other than holding true to their positions and representing the will of their constituents. did we ever hear liberals raising a fuss when harry reid refused to allow votes, which actually is obstructionist, on republican sponsored bills?

its interesting how republicans get cast in the role of "shutting the government" down whenever liberals don't get their way, never minding the will of the people. also, "defaulting on the government debt" is not a part of the equation. for democrats and their sympathizers to continue to bring it up is either ignorant, or disingenuous.

lastly---tea party nuts? ultra right wingers? it says something pretty bad about our country when people who advocate for lower taxes, fiscal responsibility (yeah, 19 trillion in debt is a good thing), and limited/constitutional government are viewed in such a light.

to the point of the thread---to aylee's point, john Boehner was viewed as an establishment type of republican who did not represent the more conservative aspect of the party. in that regard, he is more or less "democrat lite." his departure was cheered by many at recent speeches being given by some of the current presidential candidates. among other things, I heard there were ~30 congressional members seeking a "no confidence" vote.