From the Other Side of the Edge…
Sorry Ohio,….but Boehner’s Gotta Go!!
By Joe Facinoli 

Yes Ohio, …there may indeed be a Santa Claus, …but your famous native son, from the 8th Congressional district, is not him. At least not the one who can bring enough presents to save this day. Sorry.  

Not this year, nor for the last three years. Not since John Boehner was first elected to the high office of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.  

He, the possessor of that amazing in-ability to work with, muchless lead, anyone, from either party, his, or his opposition’s, shows us not a hint that he could represent either himself, or his party, as any sort of alternative or believable option, to our nation’s problems and troubles.  

And House Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi, for four years running before him, was not exactly Sam Rayburn, either.  

She of the “deer in the headlights” looks, with more “yessir, I can do thats” than a streetwalker in Vegas (at least, when it comes to doing everything the President wants, on The Hill), and the most “…dazed and confused…” explanations of important issues, since Led Zeppelin met Roseanne RoseAnnadanna (from SNL), years ago.

So, what has brought us such ‘good fortune’, to be at this crucial point in history, only to have such a dearth of leadership, of any fashion, from any where??

(Btw, ‘dearth’ means “lack of…”, for those from our well-funded public schools.  It’s not a ‘Star Wars’ character!)

How are we left with, and saddled with, such inept and ineffective leaders ??   

That includes our President, who has been and shall remain, a topic for and from, this and other conversations.  

At a time when we could only expect greatness, and all-inclusive, creative and intelligent planning and decision making, from the vast ocean of good and capable choices of available people for our leadership, from everywhere, and from all walks, …how did these current individuals rise to the top ??

Our technology has long since passed the “incredible” point, and it changes, for the better, about every ten minutes.  

Our ability to communicate, in whatever form, with whatever message, is now seemingly more than instant, ….if that’s even possible.  

Our breakthroughs in industry, and product development, and medicine, and in finding new ways to educate and train (those who are willing), and in virtually every endeavor and discipline, have now all gone off the charts, and all for the better.  

So why hasn’t our politics, and our politicians, our supposed representatives, progressed along with our post-modern, beyond-modern, changes and exponential growth ??

A simple answer, would be one word:    Money.

And a second phrase:    Who can wield the most Influence, …with that money.

The more complicated back story to that explanation, starts with the fact that no one has watched over them, or the money, OUR money, for a very long time.  

Couple that with all the mega-dollars (billions and billions) being shared, given, and even forced upon them sometimes, from the myriad corporations, lobby groups, political action committees, influential non-party organizations, and dozens of interested (and self-serving) billionaires, millionaires, and fund raising hucksters, from all sides, angles, and from every shadow and mouse hole,….and you’ve got a problem.  

The extension to that answer, is that we haven’t demanded that there be change, at the top of political food chain.    Not really, and not for a very long time.       

We just float along, doing our daily whatevers, scratching out our simple lives, making our do-able livings, playing with our tablets and Kindles and Smart/Stupid phones, listening to our I-pods (with earphones in deep, to shut out the world), playing all manner of video games and watching our Netflix and on-demand movies, and generally being annoyed with the news of the day, that’s  “….always so negative, …can you turn that off, …please?!!!”, while nothing ever changes.

Or so we want to think,…as if we cared.

Well, …the piper has come, …and he’s very well paid.    And he’s taking our money, not asking, and more and more of it now, and demanding even more than that of us.  

He’s telling us what we can and can’t do, and he’s telling us what we must do, to keep him happy, and to make all of his fellow players happy,…permanently.  

And when we reach for the “Book of Laws”, the one with all the rules and founding principles in it, as well as all the laws, well,…he/they just laugh at us, and tell us how out of date we are, and that times have changed, along with all interpretations of those treasured papers and sacred documents, now archaic (according to them).

And we let them get away with that, and we walk away, meekly, …at least too many of us do.  

Go ahead, …tell me that’s not true.  

Oh, there’s a few of us, some with big mouths, and loud protestations, but not enough.    And we’ve waited too long.   

We’ve trusted “leaders” like John Boehner, to show us the way, to get us back on the right track, and to resist these affronts to common sense, logic,….and to the law of the land.   

But he is not capable, and we have not demanded a change in his department.     

He thought the Tea Party was going to ride to his rescue, two House elections ago.    But he wasted that.    Trying to stay in the “middle ground”, has cost him that advantage.   

Instead of embracing these new patriots, not all perfect, but all willing to do the hard things, to make the necessary changes, he was cautious of them, and now shuns them altogether.  

He has no apparent ability to read, that which this group represents.  

That it is the true will of the large majority of the voting public, the ones that matter, the ones that produce, and give, and give back;  the ones that pay all the taxes, the ones who still have values, and who trust and believe in the laws of the land, passed Constitutionally, and for the good of “We the People”, …ALL of us. 

They do NOT represent the ones who merely take, and who do not produce, nor give us anything, and who do nothing, other than what they’re told;  and who vote the way the party that gives them all the free money and gifts tells them to vote, and thereby holding the country back by forcing it to live in the distant past, so that the money can keep flowing, to all the right hands and places, ….and progress be damned.      

Boehner is so far from being the right person to overcome all of this, and to take advantage of what this new group brings, that it cannot be measured.  

Sure, he has a great personal story, and it was “his turn” to be Speaker, and it seems like he cares because he cries a lot in public, ….but he ain’t it.  

Sorry John.   It takes strength, in the face of your opposition, and the courage to accomplish great things by being willing to fail, and astute wisdom, as well as a broad vision, to be a leader,….not just a good story.  

The Tea Party is Boehner’s albatross.    

He can’t live with ‘em (and still get along with all the good ol’ boys and girls), and he can’t move forward, and out of this mess, without ‘em (and without all the good, hardworking, tax paying people they represent).  

He’s like the young boy, who brings his hot new girlfriend home for his parents to meet, and to tell them he plans to marry her.   

But he can’t convince his folks to let him, because they’re disapproval comes from being set in their own, old ways, …and yet he can’t just dump her, because the promise of some fast and hot times (read what you want, here) is just too good.  

What to do ???  

Most of us, with some common sense, and knowing a little about making things work in the real world, could figure out a way.    Most would find a solution, to keep the hot new babe (or guy), and still get their parents’ money for the rent every month.    And make them like both ideas.  

Not Big John.    Takes skills he just doesn’t have.   

The current Speaker couldn’t convince a man who’s starving of thirst, to take a free cup of water.    Couldn’t talk a bunch of four year olds, into playing in a sandbox full of toys and candy bars.  

As a boss once said to me, a long, long time ago, in a job far, far away:  

“Kid, I think I’m going to have to fire someone, in your department.”    

Confused (and very naively), I shot back:   “But sir, I’m the only person in my department !!”

The boss said simply, and with a wry smile:    “That’s right kid.”

Bye bye, Big John.   

You can start what should be a very long line of current Congressmen (and women), Senators, Cabinet members, and Presidents (and maybe at least one Supreme Court justice, or Chief Justice), who should all be, by all that’s righteous, looking for gainful employment, elsewhere, …and very soon.  

Either that, or looking forward to breaking a lot of very big rocks, into very small ones, ….for a very long time.  

Keep the Faith,

Joe Facinoli

--Joe can be reached at:   joefacinoli@gmail.com

Intelligent Response Encouraged !!

© Copyright 2013, Joe Facinoli